


Highborn Holderkin

by leannmanderson



Category: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: After mistaking his Companion for Rolan, But some's from Dirk, But that doesn't stop Talia from teasing Kero, Even Kethry gets one in, F/M, Feel sorry for Kris, He gets far more teasing than he probably deserves, Kero's just glad Eldan isn't there, Kethry has two final students in Kris and Talia, Most of it's by Tantris, Poor Sen, Rolan and Warrl don't get along, Rolan isn't happy, Sen and Talia reconcile, Sen even gets Chosen, Talia's getting a familiar, because someone has to
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:54:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 21,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28946997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leannmanderson/pseuds/leannmanderson
Summary: Orthallen's looks make Talia incredibly uncomfortable from the first time they meet. But they were never meant to.Rating may go up later.
Relationships: Bessa/Talia's Father (Valdemar), Dirk/Talia (Valdemar)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 18





	1. Odd Looks

“I can’t believe you got me off like that!” Skif exclaimed. “How did you know I was in trouble?”

Talia wasn’t listening, though. She was lost in her own thoughts, disturbed by the way Orthallen had looked at her. “Hmm? Oh, sorry. I just _knew_ , I guess.”

“What’s got you distracted?”

“That Lord Orthallen. He gave me the strangest look when I mentioned Sensholding, right before he went completely unreadable.” She shook her head. “He probably hates Holderkin, and even if I’m refusing to be associated with them anymore, he’ll probably hold that against me.”

“If it makes you feel any better, before I was Chosen, I made more than a few forays into that townhouse of his to…uh…pick up a few…donations to the poor, if you will.”

“In other words, you stole anything you thought he wouldn’t miss. Think he might suspect you?” Talia asked.

Skif shrugged. “Might, but good luck to him proving it with me dressed as a page. I mean, I even went in there doing undercover work with Alberich my first year to help break up a child slave ring.”

“A child slave ring?”

“No proof of Orthallen being involved, of course, but we definitely found the ringleaders.”

“I hated life on the Hold,” Talia said, “but Skif, every time I learn more about you and Naeve and how the two of you grew up, I feel like I was lucky, even with all the beatings.” 

“Well, I’ll be damned if I’m going to stop helping you, Talia. I’d risk death itself to help you.”

Talia hugged Skif tightly. “Thank you. Gods, Skif, you’re the best friend I ever had.”

***

Talia looked suspiciously at the package on her desk when she got back to her room a few weeks later. Where had it come from? What was in it? It looked mysteriously like a purse, but who would leave a purse there? Tentatively, she opened it, and found a note inside that said only, “For Bessa’s daughter.” It was filled with gold coins.

Who could have possibly left it?

A knock at her door distracted her. There was a fearsome creature, all in black. He slapped a hand over her mouth and pushed her inside as he shut the door. “Shhh, Talia, it’s me, Skif.”

He lifted his hand tentatively, and Talia just stared at him. “Skif?”

Skif threw her some black clothes and told her to change into them, and then had her rub soot into her skin. “Come with me. I stumbled into something once. I took a guess that it’s a regular meeting, and I was right.” He slid out through her window. “Just do exactly what I do.”

Talia followed him as he led her into an empty room with nothing, not even any furniture, and showed her a pair of peepholes inside a closet. There they watched and listened as Hulda met with someone she referred to only as “my lord.”

“You’re going to come out of this a wealthy woman, Hulda. Just make sure of one thing.”

“My lord?”

“The child Herald does _not_ get harmed.”

“Of course, my lord.”

Once the meeting ended, Talia followed Skif back to her own room, where she grabbed a towel and started scrubbing the soot off. “I’ve got to find out who that is.”

“That’s for sure,” Skif said. “He’s plotting against the crown, but what’s his interest in keeping _you_ safe?”

“I don’t know. Whoever it is, or whatever his interest in me is, I’m willing to bet it’s the same person who left me the gold in that purse.”

Skif hefted the gold. “There must be a hundred gold in here! That’s more than any trainee needs per quarter.”

“Whoever it is knows my mother’s name. _Nobody_ would have known that outside the Hold, and _nobody_ on the Hold would care this much about me, let alone have that kind of money.” She showed him the note. “Skif, I’m starting to suspect that my mother wasn’t born Holderkin.”

“Yeah, but that’s not something we can investigate right now.”

Talia sighed. “You’re right. We’re going to Jadus. He can help us.” She tossed him a towel and a clean uniform. “That’s a bit big on me, so it ought to fit you.”

Once they got to Jadus’s room and explained everything, Jadus nodded. “You’ve done plenty now, young ones. Off to bed, both of you. I’ll take care of things from here.”

***

With Hulda gone, Talia began taking the Brat in hand, And then Selenay asked her to begin sitting in on Council, both to get Talia used to sitting there and to get the rest of the Council used to seeing her there. “Besides,” Selenay said, “you might see something I don’t.”

Talia saw something Selenay didn’t, alright. She saw something nobody else seemed to see. It was about the way Lord Orthallen seemed to look at her, as if appraising her. Whenever she caught him watching her, she felt a desire to shrink down into her seat, but she had no choice on the matter. She had to sit up straight. So instead, she looked right back at him. Looking into his eyes made her uncomfortable, but she did it anyway.

And was it just her, or was he tailoring his words when he spoke based on her reactions to earlier speakers in an effort to gain her approval? He wasn’t getting it right, but he seemed to be trying. But why?

All Talia knew was that if she had felt crazy when the Blues had been harassing her with the notes, she definitely felt crazy now. And disturbed. Because she was sure she was imagining things.

But that was what Rolan was for. Perhaps she couldn’t Mindspeak him, but if nothing else, he was a wonderful comfort, and their bond was continuing to strengthen. It was as if he was always in the back of her mind, now. Not that Talia particularly minded. He was her dearest friend. Between him, Jadus, Skif, Keren, and Sherrill, she felt at home. And despite the strange looks from Orthallen, as well as the strange monthly bags of gold, she was happy. 


	2. Shut up, Tantris

The night before he was supposed to leave with Talia for her internship, Kris was expecting Dirk to show up. So, when the knock came at his door, he opened it eagerly, and was surprised to find his uncle there.

“Uncle… You…you never visit!”

Orthallen came in, wearing a somewhat grave expression that Kris suspected meant this was not just a farewell visit. He accepted the glass of wine and the offered seat. “I understand you have the new Queen’s Own as your internee.”

Kris shrugged. “It’s no secret.”

“Do make sure you take good care of her, Kris. After all, she’s the only Queen’s Own we have, and I don’t want to see Selenay have to go through the time it takes for another to be Chosen and trained up when young Talia _just_ got her Whites. Do you?”

“No, I don’t.” So that was it. Kris knew his uncle had always been close to the queen, was one of Selenay’s closest advisors, as he had been for Selenay’s father. This was about that close relationship and keeping the queen happy, and nothing more. “I’m not too worried, to be honest. It’s rough country up near the border, but Talia’s a border brat, like Dirk.”

“True,” Orthallen said. “I should probably be more worried about you in a border sector. But like I said, for the best interests of the kingdom, keep an eye on Talia. I know Selenay has come to depend on her, and young Elspeth sees her as a dear friend, as well.”

“We’re fellow Heralds,” Kris said. “We will definitely look out for each other. Never mind that she wished me cross-eyed or that I had a wart,” he muttered.

Orthallen chuckled a bit. “Good. It’s about time you got used to women not falling all over you. Well, I really should be going. Keep safe, both of you, and don’t forget to write.”

Orthallen left, then, and Kris thought about what had just happened. _My lady aunt died years ago,_ he thought. _Don’t tell me he’s gone and gotten feelings for my internee!_

_:Well now wouldn’t that be an interesting twist? How would you feel having an aunt younger than you?:_

_:Not funny, Tantris. Besides, as if Talia would return those feelings. Surely not.:_

_:Not likely, no. But I’m enjoying the annoyance I’m getting from you, Chosen.:_

_:Featherfoot, if this is even remotely close, and if she says anything that indicates she might return his feelings, I think I might just be sick.:_

_:This is going to be a long year and a half, Chosen. And a rather amusing circuit on my part. I wonder what Rolan thinks of it?:_

_:Yes, good idea, ask Rolan. Surely he’d know if his Chosen is contemplating such an unholy match.:_ Kris waited eagerly for his Companion’s response. After several minutes, he began to get impatient. _:Well?:_

_:Rolan says he doesn’t know, as she hasn’t made any indication to him of anything in the area of romance. Although a thought has occurred to him, as he’s always in the back of her mind. She can’t shut him out like you can me.:_

_:What’s that?:_

_:What if your uncle is plotting a match between the two of you? If she suspects something of the sort, that might have explained her comment, earlier, about nobody forcing her to marry you, although that could also be her Holderkin origins, as they force their daughters to wed rather early.:_

_:Well, I hate to disappoint my uncle if that’s the case, but nothing less than a lifebond would do, as I told Talia yesterday evening, and I definitely do not have such a thing with Talia. Although she could do a lot worse than me.:_

_:Yes, she could. For example, she could do your uncle.:_

_:TANTRIS!:_

_:And she could do a lot better. For example, Dirk.:_

_:THAT I would accept, Featherfoot. But please, no more jokes about pairing Talia and my uncle…:_

_:But she’s so young. You could have a cousin again. Or two. Or three…:_

_:TANTRIS! SHUT UP!:_

It was at that moment that Dirk finally arrived. “Are you alright, Kris? You look absolutely miserable for someone leaving with such a lovely internee in the morning. Don’t tell me her jokes got to you that much.”

Kris groaned. “No, it wasn’t that. My uncle was just here, and ever since he left, Tantris has been taunting me and making one smart-ass remark after another.”

“I fail to see the connection,” Dirk admitted. He sat in the chair Orthallen had earlier vacated and poured himself some wine.

“He came in here telling me to take care of Talia. He was more concerned about Talia than me, and I’m his nephew! Oh, sure, he added in to take care of myself as an afterthought, but he kept going on about how Talia’s our only Queen’s Own and we don’t need to train up a new one so soon when we just got her into Whites and all that.”

“Well, it’s all true.”

“Dirk, the way he kept repeating it… As if it needs repeating… And it doesn’t... Dirk, I think my uncle has fallen in love with Talia, and that’s what Tantris has been teasing me about.”

Well, now, that _was_ disturbing. It was disturbing for Kris, who would have to deal with having a much younger aunt if it was true that Lord Orthallen intended to make Talia his lady. Even more so if Talia returned his affections, both for Kris and for Dirk, who was struggling to figure out why he felt more than protective and a good deal more than brotherly towards the new Queen’s Own. In fact, Dirk found he was feeling downright jealous, though he didn’t understand why that should be.

The idea of such a pairing, though, was so ludicrous…so absurd…that once he had digested this bit of information, he burst out laughing.

“This isn’t funny,” Kris said.

“I wouldn’t be too worried about it,” Dirk replied. “Talia has a good deal more sense than that, I’m sure. I can’t see it. Political opponents by day, lovers by night? They’re too diametrically opposed…” And then he started laughing again.

This was, of course, the second time in as many days that Dirk had gotten a good laugh at Kris’s expense, and both times were due to Talia.

Kris was beginning to think that this was going to be a _very_ long eighteen months, indeed.


	3. Kissing Cousins

They stopped to eat at noon on the first day. Talia could tell something was bothering Kris. He was too obvious about it. “Kris, I don’t want anything between us for the next year and a half. What’s bothering you? I can tell it’s something about me. Is this anything to do with the looks I get from your uncle…?”

 _She practically just confirmed my worst fears,_ Kris thought. “Yes. Yes it is. He came to me last night. He practically ordered me to watch over you and take care of you. And I know your romantic life is none of my business, but my uncle? Really? You couldn’t choose someone from the Circle?”

“Kris, what are you talking about?”

“Like you said, the looks my uncle gives you. They’re romantic in nature. He’s in love with you. I just assumed…”

“That I’m in love with your uncle…?” Talia about fell over laughing. “Oh, goddess, no, but that’s a good one. I can’t wait to tell the others when we eventually get back to Haven. No, really, I can’t wait. It’s going into my first letter home.”

“Please don’t…”

“Oh, poor Kris. Have you already been taunted and teased enough about it?”

“Yes. Tantris went on about it at great length last night and even Dirk got a good laugh.”

That sent Talia to giggling again. “Alright. I won’t write home about it. But Kris, if those looks are romantic in nature, then your uncle is sick, because he’s been giving them to me since I was thirteen. You’d think he was a lecherous old Holderkin man looking for a fresh young Underwife or something!”

Kris was starting to feel a little foolish. “Well, then the looks were probably because he does see you as a political opponent. But he also recognizes you as the only Queen’s Own we’ve got, and how important you are to Selenay and Elspeth, as well as to the rest of the Circle. He always has Valdemar’s best interest at heart, even if he gets a little power hungry, sometimes.”

“I’m glad we got that out of the way, though. But honestly? I don’t think I could handle you calling me ‘lady aunt’ with a straight face.” And then Talia fell to laughing all over again, until a very odd thought struck her. “Oh, goddess…”

“What?”

“Kris, what if you’re right, and he actually has had feelings for me since I was thirteen, and thought I wouldn’t mind because I was Holderkin, but was too much of a gentleman to say anything before I finish my internship? What if those anonymous little presents are _love tokens_ from him?”

“Random presents?”

“Yes. It started shortly after I had to get Skif out of trouble with your uncle. Monthly bags of gold as a stipend. Finely leather-bound books, sheet music, and other things at Midwinter and at my birthing day…”

“When is your birthing day, anyway?”

“Midsummer. I don’t know how he found out unless it was going through the records. I’ve never told anyone. And I never grew up celebrating my birthing day. Among Holderkin, the only thing that happens on your birthing day is a lecture.”

 _:Ready to call her Aunt Talia, yet?:_ Tantris snickered.

_:Oh come on, Featherfoot. Didn’t you get enough jabs in yesterday?:_

_:No.:_

“Are you alright?” Talia asked.

“Fine,” Kris said. “Just random smart-ass remarks from Tantris.”

“I’ve got to admit, sometimes I’m a little jealous of other Heralds who can Mindspeak their Companions.”

“Don’t be. As helpful as it can be, sometimes they don’t shut up.”

“Can’t get Tantris out of the back of your mind, either, hmm?”

“He backs out when I need some privacy. Doesn’t Rolan?”

“Not a bit,” Talia admitted. “Trust me, we’ve _tried._ There’s no blocking each other out. Unfortunately, it can make for some…interesting and rather awkward nights if he’s found a mare he cares to have a dalliance with.”

Kris’s eyes widened as he realized what that meant. Then, finally, it was his turn to laugh. “Poor Talia. It’s no wonder you’ve got a reputation as hard to entice to bed. You probably get enough of it from Rolan!”

“We should probably get back on the road. Goodness, I didn’t realize how out of riding trim I was. I might never get my legs back together by the end of this!”

Kris smirked. “I could think of several people who would be more than happy with that situation, my uncle not included.”

Talia gave him a good-natured whack on the head as they rode off, both of them laughing and much more at ease than they had been before they’d eaten. Altogether, Kris thought, it was a very satisfactory start to the circuit.

***

Things remained satisfactory until the blizzard hit. They made it to the waystation barely in the nick of time. By the time everything was in place and they were settled, they were exhausted.

And yet that need was there, that need that came from barely escaping a life-threatening situation, and when Kris kissed Talia, he meant it to be brotherly, but before either of them knew it, they were in bed together.

“Gods, Talia, why didn’t you tell me you were still a virgin?”

“What? Would you have refused to love me if you’d known?”

Kris didn’t know how to answer that. “I mean… I might have been a bit gentler…”

Talia smiled. “Kris, I’m glad you didn’t know. I liked it just how it was.”

“But I thought you and Skif…?”

“I let everyone think that for Skif’s sake. It helped his reputation and his self-confidence with women both, and for that matter, I didn’t mind at all what it did for mine. I went from impossible to get to merely difficult. To be honest, if I had your looks, I’d basically have your reputation.”

Kris laughed. “Fair enough. Hey, no offense, but…are you having trouble with your shields? You seem to be projecting a bit.”

Talia frowned and checked them. “They…they do seem a little weak lately. I thought I was just tired. But I’ve been tired before. Would you help me strengthen them?”

“Sure. Which part are you having trouble with? The Grounding? Or the Centering?”

“The what or the what?”

The look of pure confusion on Talia’s face told Kris everything he needed to know. “Don’t tell me they put you in Whites without knowing how to Ground and Center…”

“I wish I could tell you that without lying.”

Kris sighed. “Alright. We’re probably going to be snowed in for a while. And lucky for you, I’m a Gifts teacher as well as your mentor. I might not have a thorough understanding of Empathy, because it’s such a unique one and not really related to Farsight, but Grounding and Centering is the same no matter what your Gift is. We can fix this. But not tonight. We’re both tired. We’ll start tomorrow, because it’s a tiring process in and of itself. Why don’t we just spend the rest of the night talking?”

“Sounds fair to me. Maybe you can answer a question for me that’s been bothering me since I was thirteen.”

“I can try. What’s the question?”

“When we first left, we posited that all those little gifts were from your uncle. They all had my name on them except the first one. The first one was addressed to me as ‘Bessa’s Daughter.’ How would he have known my mother’s name? And why would he address it to Bessa’s Daughter instead of my name for the first gift?”

Kris’s eyes went wide. He backed away from Talia. He threw her clothes at her and started scrambling into his pants. “We are never sleeping together again.”

Talia pulled on her chemise. “Explain.”

Kris sighed. “Talia, let me guess, your father was Sen?”

“Yes…”

“Talia, when I was five, my older cousin, my Uncle Orthallen’s daughter and only child and heir, fell in love with a Holderkin man who came to seek restitution from King Sendar due to severe crop shortages and all the damages from the Tedrel Wars that were still happening. He was speaking for the entire Holderkin community, mind you. She ran off with him. That man’s name was Sen, and my cousin’s name was Bessa.”

Talia suddenly felt sick to her stomach. “You’re right. We absolutely cannot sleep together again.”

“My lady aunt died of heartbreak. My uncle has hated Holderkin ever since.”

“So when he heard me crying and mentioning how I wanted nothing to do with Sensholding….” Talia shook her head. “This explains why he’s been trying to stay on my good side. Failing to do it politically, but trying. Hells, he even laid off of Skif after that! But why wouldn’t he _say_ something?”

“I don’t know. You’re going to have to ask him that when we get home! Or at least write him and let him know you’ve figured it out. For all I know, he probably didn’t want you to run off and reject him outright out of pure bullheadedness from being his political opponent. It runs in the family, you know.”

“As soon as we’re able to get out of this blizzard and send a message, I think I’m going to do just that. But Kris?”

“Yes?”

“Would it be weird if we still shared a nest to keep warm?”

Kris smiled. And then he laughed. And then Talia laughed, the tension suddenly broken again as the cousins embraced. “Just so long as you don’t make me eat my own cooking.”

“No, and definitely won’t even allow you to cook if there’s a chicken needing to be stuffed.”

The comment earned Talia a light blow to the head. As awkward as the evening had turned out, they were Heralds, and Talia got the distinct impression from Rolan that everything would be just fine.


	4. Talking

With chores done for the day and nothing to do but talk, Kris and Talia set to working on her Grounding and Centering. Talia had confidence that between the four of them, her, Kris, and their Companions, they’d get this problem corrected.

When they weren’t doing that, Talia struggled to put pen to paper, trying and failing to find the words she needed to write a much-needed letter to her newly acknowledged grandfather. The problem was, of course, that she didn’t know what to say or how to address him, now. Grandfather seemed too familiar. Lord Orthallen was far too formal. Lord Grandfather just sounded wrong.

Finally, no longer able to watch her struggle, Kris intervened. “Talia, as your councilor, I council that you look to what’s in your heart on this.” He shrugged. “As your cousin, I say don’t bother, just wait until we get home, and I’ll back you up.”

“I think you’re right, maybe. The problem is t hat I’ve been just calling him Lord Orthallen this whole time, and I have no idea whether or not he’d appreciate me calling him Grandfather now that I know.”

“Actually,” Kris said thoughtfully, “I think he would. He’s a traditionalist. And I think in an odd way, he’s proud of you. But I still think it might be easier to do this face to face.”

“Do you remember anything about my mother?”

Kris thought hard. “Not much, really. Like I said, I was only five when she left. She was fifteen and foolish. No offense.”

“None taken. Most Holderkin women are, and I’d call any female who willingly takes up that lifestyle foolish. But…it’s also rare that any outsider is welcomed in.” Now she was thoughtful. She was starting to really want to go back to Sensholding and ask her father for information on the matter form his point of view. Not that he was likely to even acknowledge her, let alone answer her questions. Keldar would follow his lead, and the rest of the Underwives would follow hers.

“She was pretty, if I remember right.”

“Really?”

“I mean, good looks do tend to run in the family, Talia.”

“But I don’t have them.”

Kris blinked. “Talia, this is probably going to be the most awkward thing I ever say, and I wish we weren’t related so that it wouldn’t be, but I’m going to say it anyway. You might not realize it, yourself, because your self-esteem was destroyed by the way you were raised, but you could absolutely rival any of the court beauties. Dirk was not just being gallant when he called you fairest of Heralds. He meant it. If we weren’t cousins, nothing would have stopped me from bedding you again tonight provided I had your consent in the matter.”

“You’re right,” Talia said. “That _was_ awkward. But thank you.” She hugged him. “And do you really think Dirk meant it?”

“Like my partner, do you?” Kris was grinning now, as Talia had turned a rather interesting shade of red at the idea.

Talia only turned redder. “I…I mean… Yes? I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel about him since the revel. And every time I do I find myself positively aching for him for no reason I can figure out because I barely know him! It’s probably just something stupid that will pass if I don’t see him for a while.”

“Positively aching for him?” Kris asked.

“Yes. Why are you pressing the issue?”

“Because I’m pretty sure he feels the same about you, and now I’m fairly determined to make sure the two of you make a go of it when we get home.” Kris hadn’t thought his cousin could turn any redder, but he’d been wrong.

“What does this mean?” she asked. “I’ve never felt like this before. I know what it’s like to like a guy. Just because Skif and I never followed through doesn’t mean we didn’t try.”

“It’s called a Lifebond,” Kris said, his grin growing even bigger. “If I’m right, the two of you have a lifebond, and a strong one. The question is, how long has it been going on? Because no matter how much one or both members of the pair deny it, and no matter how long it takes, it’s something that happens the moment the two meet each other.”

“That’s what Keren said when she was explaining them to me. And Dirk was the very first Herald I ever met when I was coming in after being Chosen! I met him just outside Haven. You two had just finished your internship, I think.”

“They only grow stronger with time, too,” Kris said.

“Is there a way to confirm it?”

“Your Companion. Rolan will know. So will Ahrodie.”

Talia looked pleadingly towards Rolan, questioning him wordlessly. What she got back in return was nothing but love and confirmation, images of her and Dirk together and happy. “Rolan thinks it is, if I’m interpreting his sendings right.”

_:Featherfoot?:_

_:She is. Poor Dirk. He’s going to have to deal with the fact that the love of his life lost her virginity to her own cousin.:_

_:Not funny.:_

_:You’re right. It’s not.:_ A beat. _:It’s hilarious.:_

“Tantris says you’re interpreting Rolan’s sendings correctly. He’s also making fun of us for…er…”

“Having sex?” Talia asked.

“Yes…”

Talia looked over at Tantris. “It’s awkward enough. It’s not funny.” She turned to Rolan. “Don’t you dare tell me you’re amused by this, too.”

Rolan was wise and impressed upon her that no, he did not find it funny.

Talia sighed. “I think,” she said, “it’s time for bed.” She and Kris gave Tantris a simultaneous and rather identical dirty look before he could make any sort of joke.

 _:You two,:_ Tantris said in Kris’s mind, _:are most_ definitely _cousins.:_


	5. Snow Fever

Talia was warm. No, Kris realized. She was _too_ warm. The realization took him from a sleepy, slow awakening the next morning to being wide awake in barely a second as his hand flew to her jaw and beneath her arms. “No….no no no….”

The swelling. The fever. The rash. Talia had somehow caught the snow fever in the last village, and was just now showing symptoms. Kris swore, loudly, loud enough to wake both Companions and the chirras, as well. It even roused Talia a little.

“Whas wron….?” Talia’s speech was slurred, half from sleep, half from fever.

“You ended up with the snow fever,” Kris explained. “Don’t worry. I know we don’t have access to a Healer, right now, but I’ve got plenty of willow bark, and I am going to make sure you’re alright.”

Talia just nodded. She trusted him. When he placed a hot mug of willow bark tea to her lips a while later, she drank it obediently, and ate whatever he fed her. But oh, it hurt to swallow.

_:Er…Rolan and I hate to bother you, little brother…but…:_

_:Need out?:_

_:Yes. And while you’re at it, you can bring in a bit of a snow pack to help bring down her fever. The sooner you get it broken, the better.:_

Kris nodded and let the four-footers out, making sure to hook the chirras to the Companions to help keep them close. He took the opportunity to do exactly as Tantris had suggested and made a small snow pack, which he quickly got inside and made use of. By the time the four-footers were back inside, the snow was already melted.

_:Rolan and I think you ought to know we have…a contingency plan.:_

_:A contingency plan? For what?:_ Kris didn’t dare speak to Tantris out loud. He knew that even barely conscious, Talia would hear the panic in his voice and would panic, as well, and with her shields no longer holding, they would only feed off of each other. Instead, Kris kept his own shields tight and remained outwardly calm.

_:For the obvious possibility that the snow fever might take her, Chosen.:_

_:Don’t talk like that, Tantris. I am absolutely not going to allow that. She’s going to get better.:_

_:It’s only day one. There’s still the delusions, and the fever is going to get worse before it gets better. If it gets better. And considering how fast that snow pack melted, do you really want to be unprepared?:_

_:No… No, I guess not. So, what, Rolan will go off on search straight from here while I finish the circuit by myself?:_

_:Actually… I’ll be going back to Haven. I’ll break the bond, and Rolan will Choose you, and there will be a fully trained Queen’s Own.:_

Kris didn’t know how to feel about that. No, he did. He knew exactly how he felt about the idea. He didn’t like it. At all. First, it meant losing his favorite cousin. True, she was his only cousin, at least on his father’s side, but still, his favorite. Second, she had become a friend, a very dear friend. Third, it meant his best friend would be devastated. So would Selenay, for that matter. And the responsibility of being the Queen’s Own? That wasn’t particularly something he wanted.

Knowing what the Companions had in mind just made him that much more determined to save Talia.

***

The delusions started later that evening. Hallucinations, more like. And they weren’t pretty. Kris winced as Talia cried out, begging to not be whipped, to not be beaten, for someone called Justus, poorly named in Kris’s opinion, to _not_ burn her. She screamed and cried, then, as if it were happening in the present.

She was, he realized, reliving the horrors of life on the Hold. And he wondered just what had drawn Bessa to such a lifestyle. There was, he knew, only one way to find out, and that was to go down to Sensholding, himself, and talk to Sen. But that was an impossibility.

Right now, though, his first priority was to bring her fever down, and he brought in more snow. _:Any more thoughts on the matter, Featherfoot?:_

_:Actually, yes. Rolan tells me that before she fell ill, Talia was thinking the same thing, that she wanted to talk to her father, but she doubted he’d even acknowledge her existence.:_

_:That doesn’t sound all that helpful.:_

_:No, but we have a plan, provided Talia recovers.:_

_:She’ll recover,:_ Kris insisted. _:She will.:_

 _:Alright. We have a plan to put in place when she recovers,:_ Tantris corrected. _:Rolan has the furthest range of any of us. He plans to contact Caryo and have Selenay send you, when you two return, to fetch Sen, and drag him to Haven. That way, his Chosen might get some of the closure she needs from that part of her life.:_

Huh. Kris thought that over. It made good sense in his mind. Of course, he also thought Talia ought to be consulted. But he was sure Rolan had thought about that.

Talia was quiet again, and Kris reached over, gently brushing hair from her face. He was alarmed to find that her fever was only getting worse. So was the swelling. And the rash was expanding. Out the door Kris went for another snow pack, and before he went to bed, at last, that evening, he forced her awake enough to swallow some food and some more willow bark tea.

***

Three more days passed like this. All the time, Kris hovered over Talia, packing snow around her and making her drink the willow bark tea. She began struggling, briefly, to breathe, something he’d only seen back in the village in those about to die, and he panicked.

“No, no, come on, Talia. Stay with us.” He rubbed her chest, helping to ease her breath, and gave a sigh of relief when it became steady again.

Once Talia was relaxed, Kris went through the medical supplies again. That was when he recognized something. Now he _knew_ that the Healer hadn’t given him some of the antidote. And yet there it was, among the medical supplies in the waystation. And that was when he really knew that Talia would be alright, and he laughed a little.

By the next morning, her symptoms were improving, and by nightfall, she was awake again. All Kris could seem to get out was “Thank the gods…”


	6. Letters

_Talia,_

_I can’t hold it in. I was going to approach you after you returned from your internship for a private talk, but when I heard that you and Kris had been trapped in a blizzard, and then that you’d nearly died of snow fever, I knew I didn’t dare waste time. After all, I’m getting older, and you’re in a dangerous position._

_When you mentioned Sensholding not wanting anything to do with you, and you not wanting anything to do with them, I did some looking at the records and saw that your mother’s name was Bessa. I don’t know if you and Kris have talked about your families with each other, but if you haven’t, or if he hasn’t thought to tell you, Bessa was my daughter, my only child and heir. I hated Sen for taking her from me._

_As you might have guessed by now, all of those little gifts over the years were from me. I want to get to know you if you’re willing. If you want to call me Grandfather, I would like it. If you want nothing to do with me after my cowardice in coming forward or simply because we are at odds, at times, politically, I understand._

_But, if you’re willing to accept it, I’ve included a necklace with our family’s crest on it. Wear it with pride or send it back. It is yours to do with as you wish._

_Your grandfather,_

_Lord Orthallen of House Pallenton_

There had been plenty of letters. Elspeth had written her that everything was going well. Keren and Sherrill had written her of Collegium gossip. Dirk had written her and sent her and Kris both gifts of music.

But it was this one that made Talia’s heart beat faster, and she had to check her shields to ensure she wasn’t projecting. She wasn’t. She was locked down as tightly as Kris could have wanted when he was training her during the blizzard, after she’d recovered.

And she looked at the necklace that Orthallen had sent her. He had been the one to break the ice, to come out and say what needed to be said.

“Please,” Skif said, “please tell me that Orthallen isn’t sweet on you. The idea is disgusting and I just don’t feel I could stand it, especially if that’s a proposal and you accept.”

Talia and Kris looked at each other and then fell to laughing. “Skif, no, he’s not sweet on me. It would be disgusting for me to enter into that kind of relationship with him, but…but not for the reason you’re thinking!” And then they laughed harder.

Skif looked at them. “Care to share the joke?”

 _:It would be sick for the same reason it was sick that Talia and Kris had sex and, in fact, she lost her virginity to him, according to Tantris,:_ Cymry chimed in. _:Not that they knew the facts when they did it. But still…:_

By this point, Kris had calmed down enough to speak. “Skif, Talia and I are cousins. My uncle is her _grandfather._ ”

“Oh…. But, wait… Talia, aren’t you Holderkin?”

“Sometimes, to keep from too much intermarriage, there is, occasionally, some new blood brought in,” Talia said. “My mother, Lord Orthallen’s daughter, was just such new blood.”

And then it dawned on Skif what Cymry had just told him. “Wait…you two…are cousins? And you had sex?” Now it was Skif who fell to laughing.

Talia and Kris sobered abruptly. “How did you find out?” Talia asked.

“Tantris told Cymry, and she told me,” Skif said. “Gods, though, wait ‘til I tell Dirk! I’m supposed to go right back to him and report on the wellbeing of the two of you, on pain of death if I fail to do so.”

“You can absolutely leave out the awkward accidental incest part,” Kris said.

Talia nodded. “Agreed. That is _not_ something that needs to be repeated. But yes, you can absolutely tell Dirk that we’re cousins. We figured it out while talking about our families and when names and all came up…” She shrugged. “I also intend for you to take a letter back to my grandfather for me, if you would? Please?”

Skif sighed. “For you, little sister, anything. Even dealing with my arch enemy.”

“He let up after the Hulda incident,” Talia pointed out.

“Well, that’s true,” Skif admitted.

“Honestly, I think Hulda made everyone a bit foul feeling if they had any contact with her at all. There was something truly horrible about that woman, and all it would take is one run-in with her to put Grandfather in a bad mood.”

Hearing Talia defend his uncle was making Kris feel better about all the times he’d had to do the same to Dirk. And then Talia suddenly excused herself, and Kris chuckled again after checking something with Tantris. “She’ll be back when she’s more comfortable,” he said.

“What’s wrong?”

“Skif, what is Talia’s Gift?”

“Empathy. So?”

“So, your Cymry’s a mare, the first that Rolan’s seen in several months, and if you’ll remember, Talia can’t block Rolan out.”

“No, she can’t. We established that with some fun experiments and…oh…”

“Yeah. So I hope you’re ready to cosset a pregnant Companion for the next nine months.”

“Ha! Cymry’s been up to her tricks with other stallions, and hasn’t gotten pregnant.”

“Other stallion aren’t Rolan. He’s Groveborn. Remember?”

“Oh, hells.”

Talia came back about then. “Sorry about that. But it gave me time to figure out what I want to write in my letter, at least.”

***

Skif rode to see Dirk first. The two chatted for a while, and Skif relayed his visit with Kris and Talia. “So they’re actually in very good shape. And Dirk, you’re _not_ going to believe who’s more than a bit smitten with her councilor’s partner and best friend, if I’m reading her right, considering the way she brightened every time I mentioned you.”

“You really think so?” Dirk asked. “You…you don’t think there’s a possibility she’ll fall for Kris?”

“Trust me, Dirk, none whatsoever. See, apparently, they got to talking about their families and noticed some names in common. A little admission from Talia’s part that yes, sometimes Holderkin pull in outsiders to keep from having too much inbreeding, and a little storytelling on Kris’s part, and they figure it out. They’re _cousins._ Turns out that old Sen seduced away Orthallen’s only daughter and heir, Bessa, and that’s Talia’s mother.”

Dirk wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, the woman he was in love with had no chance of being seduced away by his partner. On the other, the woman he was in love with had a rather nasty grandfather who had the ability to make his life very miserable if he didn’t approve of Dirk courting Talia.

Skif seemed to guess what his friend was thinking. “You really think Talia would let her grandfather’s opinion stop her if you’re what she wants?”

“No, I don’t think she would. Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t try to put an end to things if he doesn’t approve.”

“He’ll approve, if he wants to keep her from going off on him or cutting him off from her life. He seems pretty interested in staying on her good side.”

***

Lord Orthallen retreated into his private rooms before reading the letter that Herald Skif had delivered from Talia. He didn’t want any interruptions, and he wasn’t sure what it would contain. It didn’t have a heavy weight in it, so he knew she hadn’t sent back the necklace. That was encouraging.

_Grandfather,_

_I’m sure by now word has reached you that yes, Kris and I survived the blizzard and, yes, I survived snow fever._

_The truth is that I knew that you’re my grandfather before your letter reached me. But I wasn’t able to put to paper how I felt about things because I wasn’t sure, myself. Kris and I figured it out while talking about our families during the blizzard, though. Had I not gotten your letter, I had planned on simply talking to you face to face. But now I feel I can write what’s in my heart._

_I do want to get to know you better. I’m told that it’s traditional to spend your first evening back from your internship with your dearest friends. But the next evening, I would very much like to have dinner with you and spend time getting to know you. I know we might not always agree politically, but you and Kris are the only blood kin I have that I’m willing to acknowledge and that are willing to acknowledge me. And I have questions that I know you can answer._

_See you in nine months!_

_Talia_


	7. Dinner with Grandfather

Word of who Talia was in relationship to Lord Orthallen didn’t take long to get around the Collegium once Talia got back from her internship. Keren, Sherrill, and Jeri were far too happy to carry her off and interrogate her. “So? How did it go?” Keren asked.

“Anything interesting happen?” Sherrill asked.

“Any blooming romance?” Jeri asked.

“You three are awful,” Talia said. “And if you’re wondering if there’s a romance between Kris and me, absolutely not!”

“So you didn’t sleep together?” Jeri pressed.

“Can the three of you keep a secret?” Talia asked.

“No, but tell us anyway,” Sherrill said.

“Not unless I have your word that not a word will be said to anybody about what I might tell the three of you!” Talia exclaimed.

“Alright, alright, you have our word,” Keren said. “What happened? Because that’s the symbol of House Pallenton, which is Kris’s House, around your neck.”

“Alright, yes, Kris and I did sleep together once, but never again,” Talia admitted. “And I don’t ever want it mentioned again, and quite honestly, he and I are both embarrassed by it simply because we were talking about our families afterwards, and a little comparison of names and histories and... Kris and I are _cousins._ This isn’t a birthing day gift from a lover. This isn’t from Kris at all. It’s from Lord Orthallen. _My Grandfather.”_

“Well, that’s not staying secret,” Jeri said. “The part about Orthallen being your grandfather, not the part about you having sex with your cousin.”

“Well, it could be worse,” Sherrill said. “You had that experience with Skif, so at least you didn’t lose your virginity to him.” She studied Talia’s face, red, even as Talia tried to hide it in her hands and behind her reddish-brown curls. “You _did!_ You and Skif never actually did anything and you _lost your virginity to your cousin._ ”

“Sherri….” Talia was groaning, now.

“Alright,” Keren said. “That’s enough teasing the poor dear. It’s bad enough she has to live with it, and I’m sure Kris doesn’t feel any better about it.”

***

Kris sat with Dirk after Kris finished unpacking, the two of them having dinner together. “So,” Dirk said, “Skif told me what you and Talia discovered.”

“That we’re cousins? Yeah. Quite honestly, I like the idea. I was already feeling brotherly towards her.” Kris shrugged. “You like her, right?”

“Gods, Kris, you know I do.”

“If it makes you feel better, she feels the same.”

Dirk perked up. “She does? You’re sure?”

“Very,” Kris said, grinning. “And as you’re my dearest friend, and I know I can trust you with my favorite cousin, I wouldn’t mind seeing the two of you together at all. You should have seen her when I talked about you. Paying attention, admitting to positively aching for you…”

Dirk couldn’t believe his luck. Talia _wanted_ him. But would she have time for him? “Do you think she’d join me for dinner tomorrow?”

“No, but maybe breakfast or lunch,” Kris said. “She…uh…she’s already promised dinner tomorrow night to my uncle, seeing as how he’s her grandfather and all. And good luck getting time between meals tomorrow, with all her duties as Queen’s Own.” He laughed.

Dirk sank a little. “She is going to be busy, isn’t she?”

“Hey, cheer up. She’ll find time for you simply because she loves you.”

***

Talia’s first full day back in Haven was a busy one. She was pleasantly surprised to find Dirk at her door, asking to spend breakfast with her. An answer of yes came easily out of her mouth, and oh, goddess, that kiss goodbye as she went off to help in the house of Healing.

After that came morning audiences, and then a quick lunch before the Council meeting, during which she got her grandfather to back down about arranging Elspeth’s marriage to Prince Ancar of Hardorn, tabling the issue at least until Elspeth had finished her training.

They stopped to talk after exiting the Council chamber.

“You have no idea how pleased I am to see you wearing the necklace I sent you,” Orthallen said.

“Why shouldn’t I? After all, I’m your granddaughter.” Talia hugged him, then, which surprised him, though he returned the embrace.

“I had lunch with Kris. I’m looking forward to having dinner with you this evening and getting to know you. You look so much like your mother, and like your grandmother, too.”

The comment made Talia smiled. “There’s so much I want to learn and so many questions I have. Unfortunately, Alberich is expecting me for weapons practice, and I need to change into something more appropriate. My quarters or yours for dinner?”

“Yours, I think,” Orthallen said. “I’m sure yours are more secure.”

Talia wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but she didn’t have time just yet. “Alright. I’ll see you after I finish with arms practice.”

***

“So, Kris tells me that other than the blizzard and your stint with snow fever, your internship went quite well.”

“It did. I feel I learned a lot. I know I’ll never know everything. Nobody can. Not even Herald Myste, no matter how hard she tries.” Talia giggled. “But yes, my interview with Elcarth and Kyril was basically no more than a formality.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You said you have questions. Ask.”

“Tell me about my mother.”

Orthallen smiled. “I should have known you’d want to know about Bessa. I expect _they_ never told you anything about her. She was very pretty, and I had high hopes for her. She was a court lady in every sense of the word. Many young men wanted to court her. She was intelligent, curious, and always wanting to learn. You inherited that from her. But then Sen arrived. He was representing the Holderkin and, though his speech was rough, he got his request across to Sendar. This was during the Tedrel Wars, understand. Selenay was a teenager, but close to finishing her training. And, of course, your mother was curious. She started asking Sen all sorts of questions about what the Holderkin were like, what they believed.”

“I can’t imagine he told her everything,” Talia muttered. “I don’t think she would have gone with him if she’d known she’d be beaten.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” Orthallen allowed. “She was in love. She swore it was love at first sight. I know you Heralds have lifebonds, but even though she wasn’t one, your mother swore she had one, and even though I forbade her to go with him, she ran off with him, anyway.”

“And then she died giving birth to me.”

“Your grandmother died of heart break, learning that our only child was gone. You have no idea how hard it was for your grandmother to carry your mother. So you can imagine my worries when I heard the rumors that you and Skif were carrying on.”

“Well, obviously nothing happened. And I’ve moved on well past Skif.”

Orthallen raised an eyebrow. “You say that like you have your eye on another young man.”

“Dirk. And I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but it may well be a lifebond. Kris thinks it is.”

A sigh escaped the old Councilor. “I suppose there’s nothing I can do to stop it if that’s where your heart goes. You can do worse, I’m sure, than Herald Dirk.”

Talia smiled. “What about my grandmother. What was she like?”

“The love of my life. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I was a little jealous when Sendar married Kayla. But then I met her friend, Patrice, at the royal wedding, and I was immediately smitten. I couldn’t help myself. We were married six months later, and within a year, your mother was born.”

“Earlier, you mentioned my quarters being more secure. Why?”

“Ah, that’s a bit more complicated. You’re sure they’re secure?”

Talia frowned. “As secure as Selenay’s. Why?”

Orthallen nodded. “Good. I thought they might be, especially with as many stairs as you have to climb. Talia, I want you to listen to me, and listen well. I am in complete agreement with you and Selenay about Elspeth, but I don’t have a choice in how I vote. Talia, I was incredibly stupid. I made an alliance with Ancar and Hulda because I wanted power of my own so I could punish Sen. When you so openly disowned all of Sensholding, I was ready to pull out, but they… Talia, I’m being forced to stay in in order to protect you and keep you safe.”

Talia thought this over. She knew her grandfather must be sweating, wondering how she would react, but she needed to figure that out for herself, first. Eventually, after about half a glass of wine, she decided. “Pull out anyway. Selenay is our queen. Elspeth is our Heir. I knew when I was Chosen that I might end up dead at an early age. I’m not going to do anything stupid. In fact, we’re going to beat Ancar and Hulda at their little game, and the first thing we do is talk to someone who knows and understands strategy better than we do. Tomorrow, I’m talking to Alberich.”


	8. Into the Fire

Alberich wasn’t used to members of the Council watching arms practice, especially Lord Orthallen. “Alberich, forget sparring. We need to talk,” Talia said. “Preferably in your office.” Alberich only nodded, and led the two of them in there, where he listened as Talia and Orthallen told him everything. “And I know he’s being truthful,” Talia said, “because I had him under Truth Spell yesterday evening during dinner.”

Orthallen whipped his head around to look at her. “You mean you didn’t trust me? I’m your grandfather!”

“You’re also a politician,” Talia said.

“A fair point,” Orthallen admitted. 

“And a bad situation all around, this is,” Alberich said. He leaned back and steepled his fingers in thought. Now he knew and understood why he had never liked Orthallen, though he had never before been able to put a finger on it. Well, Alberich had taken a liking to Talia, an almost fatherly feeling. If Lord Orthallen was willing to do whatever it took to protect Talia’s reputation as Queen’s Own, all to the good. If the man was willing to do whatever it took to protect the girl’s physical safety, all to the better.

It was only too bad that the two seemed to be mutually exclusive. Orthallen had let down his shields enough that Alberich could tell the man would much prefer they weren’t. In fact, the man had become like an open book where Talia was concerned, at least to Alberich’s trained eye. And Alberich had to admit that if nothing else, Orthallen could be counted on to do whatever was in Talia’s best interests.

“I think,” Alberich said at last, “that perhaps, Lord Orthallen, continue the act, you should. But bring Selenay in on the information, we also should. Knows, she does, that you are grandfather and granddaughter?”

“Yes,” Orthallen said. “I’ve told her. She was the one that pressured me to write the letter and finally break my silence, and I’m glad I did.”

“So am I,” Talia said. “Although Kris and I figured it out during the blizzard. We spent a lot of time talking and just doing whatever we had to in order to keep the boredom away.”

***

Selenay thought over the information Orthallen and Talia had just brought her. She wasn’t fond of the idea of her chief Councilor being blackmailed to protect his granddaughter. “And to think,” she said, “Alessandar wants me to send a royal envoy. But from the sound of it, Ancar and Hulda are the ones who are really in charge. Well, I’ll send an envoy, alright, but it will be in the form of spies.”

“I assume Eldan will be in charge of that, then,” Talia said.

“Eldan’s still tied up on another run down in Karse,” Selenay said. “Oh, no. I’m sending the perfect trio. A Farseer to look into things without actually enter places, a Fetcher to steal documents if needed, and an Empath to manipulate people.”

“Selenay,” Orthallen said, “I assume you have a Farseer other than Kris, but Talia is your _only_ Empath. I’d really rather you didn’t send her on such a dangerous assignment.”

Selenay looked with sympathy at Orthallen. “I understand how you feel. I really do. I wouldn’t want to send Elspeth on such a dangerous assignment. But no Farseer and Fetcher work together better than Kris and Dirk, and as Queen’s Own, nobody’s appearance is going to impress the Hardornans more than Talia’s.”

Talia looked up at her grandfather. “I don’t trust them as far as I can throw them, but Selenay’s right. We’re the best team for the job at hand. You’re going to have to trust that our training and our experience and Gifts are enough to get us home safely.”

Orthallen hugged Talia tightly. “Then stay alert and be careful, you and Kris both. And, I suppose, Dirk, since you seem intent on loving him. If there’s a chance the boy’s going to marry into the family, he might as well keep himself safe, as well.”

Selenay perked up at this. “Talia! Why didn’t you tell me? We’re friends. You’re supposed to tell me when there’s a romance brewing.”

Talia turned red. “It’s still in its infancy, to be honest. Dirk and I are still feeling things out, but… We’re fairly certain it’s a lifebond. Kris is certain of it, too.”

“Which means,” Orthallen said, “that I can count on him to watch her back, no matter what. That, at least, gives me some peace of mind.”

***

For what was probably the millionth time on this trip (he knew he was exaggerating his count, but he didn’t care), Kris rolled his eyes at his cousin and his oath brother. The two of them were sickeningly sweet with each other. If it wasn’t a lifebond, then there was no such thing. But the fact was that Talia and Dirk couldn’t be pulled apart for anything before they crossed the border, and Kris thanked every god and goddess he knew that the waystations they stayed in afforded the two of them no chance to have sex.

Then they crossed the border, and they were able to stay at inns, where they were able to get two rooms. Kris knew very well what the two of them were doing, but so long as he didn’t have to hear it or see it, he was fine. The only thing that went wrong at the inns was the first night, when Talia encountered the goats foot mushrooms, causing her Gift to go haywire.

Then, in Throne City, Talia spotted Evan’s wagon and introduced Kris and Dirk to him. From him, they managed to get further information about what was really going on. “Yes, we thought as much,” Talia said. “Evan, if I were you, I’d get your whole clan out of here. You’ll be welcome in Valdemar.”

“Bless you, lady,” Evan said.

It was the next day that they approached the palace. Once they were shown to their rooms, a rather spacious two-bedroom suite, Kris used his Farsight to look around while Talia used her Empathy to keep the guards and servants confused and to keep them from noticing that Dirk was discreetly Fetching documents into their packs.

“I think we ought to get out, now,” Talia said at last. “There’s too much nervousness. Everybody’s too on edge. Something big is about to happen, and I don’t think we want to be here when it does.”

“Good idea,” Kris said.

The three of them slipped out the window and climbed down the outside and into the courtyard where they called for their Companions. That was when the arrows started. An ambush! They mounted up and rode hard. Dirk was hit in the leg and Talia in the arm. Kris started to turn back when Talia fell off of Rolan, but she yelled at him. “Go! Keep going! As fast as you can! We’ll follow! You have to get the message to the others!”

As guards took up Talia and Dirk and both Rolan and Ahrodie ran off, likely at Dirk’s Mindspoken orders, Kris did as he was told, knowing it was important that the information get back to Selenay and trusting in Talia and Dirk’s ability to get themselves out of the situation, as well.


	9. Escape

Dirk waited in the cell he’d been thrown in. He could hear Talia being tortured. Why they were torturing her, he didn’t know. _:Ahrodie?:_

_:I’m here, Chosen.:_

_:Are you and Rolan ready to run for it once I get us out?:_

_:You know we are.:_

_:Did Kris and Tantris get away?:_

_:They did.:_

_:What do you think they’re doing to her?:_

_:Oh, Chosen, there’s only one reason to choose to torture the woman instead of the man, I’m afraid.:_

Dirk could feel his blood begin to boil. That was his Talia, damn it. The problem was that he was so damned helpless to do anything to help her. If he could, he’d slit each and every one of their throats.

Eventually, Talia was thrown into the cell, broken, sobbing, and naked, her torn and bloody clothes thrown in after her. Dirk crawled over to her. He felt weak from the blood loss from his own wound, but he didn’t have a choice. If he was going to save them both, he had to do this. He closed his eyes and focused on the shrine to the god of travelers just outside of town, where Arhodie and Rolan should both be waiting, his arms wrapped tightly around Talia.

There was a pop, and a dizzying, nauseating feeling, and then they were there, just below the statue. Dirk was exhausted. Still, he reached into the packs on Rolan’s saddle and pulled out one of Talia’s uniforms and helped her to redress. “Come on, Love. I’ll tie you to the saddle so you don’t lose your seat, and then we’re getting out of here.”

“You’re going to have a hell of a reaction headache,” Talia whimpered.

“To save you, it was worth it.” Dirk tied himself to the saddle, as well, and Rolan and Arhodie took off into the night.

***

Selenay watched with sympathy as Orthallen paced back and forth. They were at the border with the entire Council, as well as select Heralds and a few extra Healers, just in case. A young page named Robin, who had gotten Talia’s attention simply because his loneliness had gotten the attention of her Empathy and, thus, had gained her friendship, was just as nervous as his lord. He liked Talia, and wanted her home, too.

Kris was the first to arrive over the border, exhausted and injured. He fell off of Tantris and they rushed to him.

“Kris, what happened? Where are Dirk and Talia?” Selenay asked.

“They were captured,” Kris answered, coughing. His tunic was torn, revealing a bruise from a hard hit to the chest. “Talia ordered me to ride home. She outranks me. She and Dirk swore they’d get out. They did. Tantris says they’re just a few hours out. They’re injured, too. Talia has information.”

Selenay ordered everyone back. There would almost certainly be a battle coming. She posted a few Healers, as well as Skif, Elspeth, and Alberich, to keep an eye out for Dirk and Talia. Then they retreated a quarter mile back, taking over a local Hold whose lord holder was more than happy to get his family out of the way and to safety.

“I begged you not to send them,” Orthallen said.

“I know,” Selenay said, “but they’ll survive. They’ll be here in a few hours. The Healers will take good care of them, especially Devan. He’s been caring for Talia since she was thirteen.”

Ah, yes, Orthallen thought. That dunk in the river. Talia’s near drowning. Gods, he’d nearly had his granddaughter and only remaining heir killed, all for power to punish her father. Of course, he hadn’t known who she was, at the moment, only that she was interfering with his plans. He regretted it upon learning that she was Bessa’s daughter, though.

“Selenay, I didn’t know I could have that kind of happiness in my life again, before Talia and I connected properly. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her over my own stupid foolishness.”

“You’re not going to lose her, Lord Uncle.” Selenay hugged him. “They’ll make it back. I just know it.”

***

Near sundown, Selenay was proven right. Dirk and Talia, both unconscious, were carried into the keep. Orthallen insisted on sitting up with his granddaughter, anger burning in his heart. “Those bastards… They swore if I kept to my end of the bargain, they wouldn’t harm a hair on her head!”

Devan assessed her personally. “She’s in bad shape, much worse than Dirk, but she’ll pull through. I just hope she’s not foolish enough to insist on me speed Healing her like some Heralds are.”

“Forgive me, Healer Devan, I don’t understand. What’s wrong with speed Healing?” Orthallen asked.

“Oh, you’re quite forgiven. Unlike Heralds, Councilors aren’t constantly in need of my abilities over things like broken bones, lacerations, or any other number of injuries. The occasional cold or other illness, yes, or perhaps some willow bark tea because of the headaches of dealing with politics, but that’s the worst I normally have to deal with from the non-Herald members of the Council. Heralds, on the other hand, are incredibly stubborn, and the problem with speed Healing is that Healing, in general, can build up toxins in the body that makes a person tired, because you’re using the body’s own energy. When you speed Heal, you use more of the person’s energy and build up more of those toxins. It can actually be counter productive if done wrong.”

“In that case, Healer, I trust you to use your best judgement in Healing my granddaughter.”

Devan smiled. “I just hope she does. I hate to tell you this, but the Monarch’s Own is often the most stubborn Herald of all. I strongly suspect, though, that it’s to keep up with the stubbornness of their Companions, as I hear that Groveborn are even more stubborn.”

***

Dirk woke up first. When he told the others what had been done to Talia before he’d managed to Fetch them out of the dungeon, the anger spread. Then, he went to join Orthallen in sitting up with her, the two of them taking turns.

Eventually, Talia awoke as well, and as predicted, she stubbornly made Devan at least put on a pain block so that she could relay everything she had learned to Selenay, the Lord Marshal, the Lord Marshal’s Herald, and to Alberich.

War, was most definitely coming to Valdemar. But with that in mind, Selenay sent her Council back to Haven, along with Dirk, Kris, and Talia to heal, Skif as an escort, and Elspeth to act with full powers of regency.

It was on the way back that Dirk took Lord Orthallen aside to speak to him privately while Talia slept off some of the Healing toxins. “My lord, I know you and Talia have only recently started getting to know each other properly, but I was wondering…”

“Let me guess,” Orthallen said. “You want to marry her. Well, you’re a damned sight better than her mother’s choice. Yes, Herald Dirk, you are more than welcome to marry my granddaughter, if that’s what she wants.”


	10. Sen's Story

To marry Dirk was, in fact, _exactly_ what Talia wanted. But there were other things that had to come first, such as both the physical and emotional healing from the rape and torture she’d undergone in Hardorn. There was planning to be done. There was Dirk’s family to be notified. There was also a guest list to be decided upon. “I think,” Talia said, “that there are certain people who ought to be invited just so that they can see how badly they screwed up.”

“That’s a bit cruel,” Orthallen remarked. Then he smiled. “Are you sure you’re not a politician?”

“I’m Queen’s Own. I’m a politician by default."

“Who did you have in mind?”

“Lady Naril, so she can see just how wrong she was about Dirk, for starters,” Talia said. “Of course, I absolutely wouldn’t do that without Dirk’s permission. But she said the most awful things about him, and quite honestly, I’d love to see the look on her face when she sees that not only can Dirk get a woman who loves him beyond words, but that he’s worthy of marrying into a cadet branch of the royal family.”

Orthallen laughed. He had never seen Talia acting so smug about anything in the time he’d known her. “Oh, I do hope Dirk gives permission for that. I’d rather like to see it, myself.”

“You know, you’re a lot more fun now that you’re not letting anyone blackmail you.”

“Don’t mistake me, Talia. I’m still more on the traditional side, and if I had my way, you’d be marrying among the highborns, but I’ve learned from going against you in Council that I can’t win, and I need to just pick my battles. Besides, perhaps it’s time to start handing a little more power over to Valdemar’s future instead of clinging to its past.”

Talia rolled her eyes. “And who would you match me with? A member of that gang of idiots that tried to kill me when I was thirteen?”

“Havens, no. To paraphrase Elspeth, a great lot of boring pups. But the Ashkevrons are a good noble family and I know for a fact that they have a younger son your age who’s quite handsome.”

“If I weren’t so madly in love with Dirk, I might even consider letting you introduce us, Grandfather. But it’s a lifebond.”

Orthallen laughed again. “I thought the Ashkevron name would catch your attention. Kris told me you practically worship Vanyel.”

“Well, he was _only_ one of the greatest Heralds to have ever lived.”

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Talia limped over to the door, leaning on a cane a little, her right ankle being stubbornly slow to heal. She was not prepared to see the older but still handsome blonde haired, blue-eyed man standing before her.

“I can see, judging by your choice of quarters, that you still prefer to be away from people, daughter. May I come in?”

“Funny,” Talia spat. “I thought Sensholding _has no daughter Talia._ Or do you deny what you wrote when I was thirteen?”

Sen blinked stupidly. “I…I do. Is that what you read? Is that why there was never a letter home?”

Orthallen appeared behind Talia suddenly. “Sen… Here to steal my granddaughter back to that gods-forsaken Hold just like you stole my daughter?”

Sen narrowed his eyes. “My lord, this is between my daughter and me. I want to speak with her, to clear the air, at the request of the queen, as per a young man named Herald Kris.”

So that was where Kris had disappeared to. Whether she let him in or not, Talia was feeling her ankle weaken, and she moved to the couch to sit. “You may come in, but first you have to answer a few questions under Truth Spell. If I don’t like the answers, or if you lie to me, you’ll have to leave.”

“I’ll consent,” Sen said. He looked smugly at Orthallen and then sat next to Talia on the couch as Orthallen took up his seat in the large overstuffed chair that Talia had chosen for its comfort. He might be old, but he would certainly protect his granddaughter if he had to.

Talia carefully muttered the spell, and the blue cloud of eyes showed up around Sen’s head. They would dim, Orthallen knew, if Sen lied, unless Talia haddecided to invoke Second Stage on him, in which case he would be forced to tell the truth. But since she had suggested she would know if he lied, he figured First Stage was all she was doing, as she had done on him, he knew, since he hadn’t felt forced to speak the truth, even though he had.

“Did you write that Sensholding has no daughter Talia?” Talia asked.

“No,” Sen said. “I couldn’t have. I broke my right hand out in the field the morning you left. I had to rely on Keldar to scrawl the note and send it back with the Herald.”

Much to Talia’s surprise, as well as Orthallen’s, the Vrondi didn’t disappear. Sen was telling the truth.

“Did you tell her to write it?” Talia pressed.

“No. I told you,” Sen said. “I can only guess at her reasons. They’re strong guesses, but guesses only. What I told her to write was to ask you to write.”

Again, he was telling the truth, and Talia blinked. “What are your guesses?”

“Jealousy,” Sen said. “Talia, I loved your mother. She was the only one of my Wives that I really, truly loved, and Keldar was jealous, especially when, even though Bessa died birthing you, I gave you such a sweet name, and declared you my favorite child, even over her children, including the sons she had given me.”

“Lies!” Orthallen cried out.

“No,” Talia said. “Look, the Vrondi are holding steady. They won’t if he’s lying.”

Sen looked at Orthallen. “I know you don’t believe it, but Bessa and I did love each other. She taught me to read and write. I was more than half-literate. If the note had actually been in my hand, it would have been longer. I had to keep it simple for Keldar’s hand. She’s the one who truly ran things on the Hold.”

“If I was your favorite,” Talia asked, holding out her hand, displaying the burn scar, “why did you allow Justus to do this to me when I was nine?”

“I didn’t,” Sen said. “Like I said, Keldar had the true run of the Hold. I was furious, but…” He trailed off, unsure how to admit what had been happening without seeming weak in front of his daughter and his former father-in-law. “Talia, daughter, would you be offended if I took off my shirt?”

 _That_ surprised Talia and Orthallen both, and they looked at each other. Then Talia looked at her father. “Do you know how many men I’ve seen without their shirts on? I’m a Herald, Father. Hellfires, I’m not exactly celibate. I’m going to be _married_ soon, and we Heralds don’t exactly squirm away from sex outside of marriage. Dirk’s hardly my first. You think I’m going to be offended by my father taking just his _shirt_ off?”

“Don’t look at me,” Orthallen said. “This is purely a Heraldic thing that’s got her so impure.”

“Two words, Grandfather,” Talia said. “Lady Naril.”

“Point,” Orthallen granted.

Sen hesitated a moment and then removed his shirt, something he’d never done in front of a woman other than one of his Wives. What Talia and Orthallen saw shocked both of them. Multiple bruises of varying ages. “Keldar does not know that I know this, but she had Justus kill Andrean during one of the raids because of his kindness towards you, and that is why she chose Fletcher for Vrisa. And she does not know this, but I…I am the one who killed Justus in yet another raid, both for Andrean and for all the things he did to you. He would have drowned you, himself, if I hadn’t called him to the fields to work. But Keldar runs the Hold. She is unwomanly, and she is the one who beats me, not the other way around.”

During the entirety of Sen’s testimony, still the Vrondi never wavered. Talia just couldn’t imagine her father as the battered spouse, and yet there was the proof of it in front of her eyes. “Why is she like this?” Talia whispered.

“Likely because I dared to love your mother,” Sen said. “You know that it’s rare for an outsider to join the Holderkin. Had you never noticed that when it did happen, it was always a man? It’s forbidden to bring in an outsider woman, because there are too many women already. It marks a man as weak and unmanly to bring in an outsider woman, because it marks him as being unable to find a bride among our own kind when there are so many women available. Keldar could report me to the Elders for it and she knew it, and she took full advantage of it. She ruled the Hold, and me, with an iron fist. And for that, Talia, I’m sorry.”


	11. Bessa

Sweetsprings, Kris decided, was not that bad of a village. He almost envied the Heralds who had it for their circuit. But he wasn’t here for his own enjoyment. He’d stayed behind, telling Sen that he had family in the area on his mother’s side that he wished to visit. It was a blatant lie, of course. Lady Orchid’s family was all in Haven.

The truth was that one of Sen’s other wives, Isrel, had pulled him aside when Keldar wasn’t looking. What she had told him had bothered him and delighted him both. Apparently, when Talia had been born, she and Sen’s mother had distracted Keldar with the newly motherless newborn and they and the midwife had snuck the “dead” Bessa out the back, where a trader was waiting who was sympathetic and thought he was helping a lucky wife escape a harsh life.

Sen’s mother, having never approved of the unlawful marriage but also seeing how happy it made her son, had come up with the plan, herself, sacrificing her grandchild’s happiness and her son’s in order to solver two problems with one move.

Kris had followed the trail to Cordor, where he had been fortunate enough to meet up with Trader Evan. When he told Evan who he was looking for and why, and why he suspected Bessa was still alive. Evan’s eyes had lit up. “Yes! Yes! And you say she is the lady Herald’s mother?”

“Yes.”

“I still owe her so much. She saved my life, after all. And I know of the incident you speak. I was ten years old, and was accompanying my father, who sometimes traded with the Holderkin, and he was the trader who helped Lady Bessa to escape. It is only a shame that we could not take her daughter with her.”

Kris brightened. “Do you know where you left her?”

“Sweetsprings.”

And thus Kris had stayed behind, there, sending Sen on, letting him believe both the lie that Kris had concocted and that Bessa was still dead. Well, if she had indeed passed on in the meantime, then it would be sad, but nobody would have had their hopes up but Kris. But if she were alive, then what a wonderful surprise it would be for Talia! And, of course, for his uncle.

He was sitting in the inn when a lovely woman in her mid-thirties approached him. She looked so familiar. Where had he seen her before?

“What can I get for – Kris?? Kris, is that you?”

“Bessa?”

Bessa nodded. “Look at you! All grown up, and in Whites! I never would have guessed any member of our family would end up a Herald.”

“Your daughter did, too.”

“My daughter? Talia? She…she survived Keldar’s abuse?”

“And she’s one of the finest Queen’s Owns we’ve ever had,” Kris said.

Bessa sat down across from him. “I don’t believe this. _My_ baby girl grew up to become the most important Herald in the kingdom! That must really bother Father.”

Kris smiled a bit. “Actually, not so much. He’s very protective of her. You should have seen how he got on to me before I took her on her internship. Watch over her, Kris. She’s the only Queen’s Own we have, Kris. Take good care of her, Kris.” He laughed. “She’s getting ready to get married, by the way. His name’s Dirk. He’s another Herald. He’s my best friend. It’s a lifebond.”

“This sounds stupid, but… Can I come with you? I want to see her, to see her get married. I know I can never see my beloved Sen again, but…”

“It’s not stupid at all,” Kris said. “Of course you can come with me. I was hoping to bring you home to Haven. And Sen’s on his way there, actually. By…uh…’order of the queen,’ if you will. We thought it might give Talia some closure to finally confront her father about disowning her, but when I found out the truth, and when she hears it, I think it’s going to do a lot more than give her closure.”

“Sen would _never_ have disowned Talia,” Bessa said.

“So I learned.”

“But…but my father…”

“Uncle Orthallen is going to be overjoyed to learn you’re alive, Bessa. Trust me.”

***

“Why does she have to live up in this tower, so far from all the other Heralds?”

“Simple. It’s her Gift. She’s got a strange one for a Herald, Empathy, and a rather strong one at that. This affords her some privacy, as well as some sanity. The only thing is, she can’t block out Rolan at all, not like other Heralds can block out their Companions for a little privacy. So you can imagine how irritating it is for her when Rolan’s feeling amorous and getting up to things with one of the mares.”

Kris knocked at Talia’s door, then, and Talia answered. “Kris! Father said you’d stayed behind in Sweetsprings! He’s having dinner with Dirk, getting to know him. Sorry I’m not opening the door any further. Jeri’s working on final touches for my wedding dress, and I’m not exactly decent.”

“That’s alright,” Kris said, “but I’ve got someone with me I think you will want to let in.”

Talia tilted her head. “Who?”

Kris told Talia, then, what he had learned, and the real reason he’d stayed behind in Sweetsprings, and then switched places with his older cousin.

Bessa stepped forward. “Oh, Talia, I can’t believe I’m finally getting to see you…”

“Mother?” Talia threw the door open and launched herself at Bessa. “I don’t believe this.” She looked over at Kris. “Oh, Kris, you’re wonderful! Thank you! I can’t believe you not only learned the truth but that you found her!” She looked back at Bessa. “Father’s going to be so happy. So will Grandfather.” It was only then that she remembered her state of undress, blushed, and physically turned Kris around.

“What’s the big deal, Talia?” Jeri asked. “Not like he hasn’t seen you naked before!”

Talia hastily pulled on a robe. “Shut up, Jeri!”

Kris was at least as red as Talia was. “Don’t tell me you told them,” he moaned.

“Oh, she told us,” Sherill said. “And we all had a good laugh.”

“I wasn’t told,” Elspeth said.

“Nor was I,” Bessa said.

“It was stupid, and wouldn’t have happened if Grandfather hadn’t been stupid and had just admitted to being my grandfather _before_ I left on my internship with Kris,” Talia said. “But before we figured out that we’re cousins, we slept together. That’s all. Now can we drop it?”

“Yes, please,” Kris said.

“You did what?” Elspeth asked. “I knew you and your year mates got up to some odd things and even some dangerous things, but…but…that?!?”

Bessa, however, remained calm. “I learned that it happens a surprising number of times on the Holds, which is why they often bring in new men, but not new women. They don’t check on the woman’s side of the family, only the man’s, when checking to ensure that two people aren’t related.”

“Still, it’s embarrassing,” Talia said.


	12. Dirk Finds Out

When Sen learned that he had been lied to and tricked, and that his favorite wife was, in fact, alive, he was ecstatic. He understood his mother and Isrel’s reasonings, and was unhappy with them, but was just so grateful that Bessa was here, alive, and in his arms once more. “Now,” he said, “we can be a family. You, Talia, and me. I…may have sent a note back with a courier, informing telling them that I wasn’t coming back. In fact, I lied to them. The note I sent with the courier will tell them that your cousin Kris and I were attacked and killed by bandits along the road. That will keep the others safe from being shunned and see them all provided for, and free me to be with you, my love.”

Bessa’s eyes softened. “Oh, Sen, you really did that just for me?”

“I initially did it for Talia. I wanted to make up for lost time. I didn’t know Kris had found you, and for that, I owe him a debt I can never repay.”

“I’m never getting rid of him, am I?” Orthallen muttered.

Talia giggled. “No, Grandfather, you’re never getting rid of him. Just accept it. But I suppose you can always torture him by making him do the whole court thing. He’s got no experience in it. He won’t know what to do.”

“Not a bad idea. And, well, it means I get to keep your mother if I let him stay and promise not to kill him.”

“It keeps us both happy,” Talia said. “And Selenay, too. You should have seen her face when I told her Mother was alive.”

“Yes,” Orthallen said. “They were quite good friends in their youth. It hurt Selenay when she left, and then when you told her that your mother was dead. This surprise, that she was alive this whole time, and none of us knew, and now Kris has brought her back… It’s truly wonderful.”

“May I please be the one to tell him he’s going to have to learn to navigate life at Court?”

“Be my guest.”

Talia walked over to her parents. “Mother, don’t forget, you’re going to have to teach him to dance properly. Between the fact that I’m from a noble house and the fact that I’m Queen’s Own, this wedding is hardly going to be a small affair.”

Bessa blushed a little. “Oh! I don’t think I know any of the latest court dances.”

“Trust me, my dear, they’ve changed little,” Orthallen said. “Your memories should serve just fine. And if they don’t, Talia more than has a grasp on them. I remember her dancing divinely when Elspeth was installed as Heir.”

“Yes, but if I’d had to dance more than once with Gartheser,” Talia said, “I might have sliced off some of his favorite bits in the middle of the grand hall, especially if his hand fell too low one more time.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Bessa said. “He kept trying the same with me. He’s not going to be at the wedding, is he?”

“No,” Talia said. “Sadly, when Elspeth announced that everyone on the Council was to have their loyalty to Valdemar tested under Truth Spell, he suddenly found that the stress of his position was too much, and he wished to retire, and entertain no visitors.”

“Oh, and Bessa, I’ve had the liberty of having some new dresses made for you. Some clothes for Sen, as well, since he’ll one day be beside you, running Wyvern’s Reach.” Orthallen gave a rather feral smile as Sen paled. “Since I can’t be rid of you, you may as well learn what it means to be at the head of a noble house.”

“Don’t worry, Father,” Talia said, “I’m assured that it’s no worse than running a Hold three or four times larger than the one you just gave up, only with a lot more servants, and Mother isn’t just your First Wife. She’s your _only_ wife. And as I’m a Herald, and Mother’s no old hag, best get to producing a sibling or two for me. Perhaps more. Selenay was going to find a workaround for me to inherit all of the lands and titles, but if I have younger siblings who aren’t Chosen…”

And with that, Talia walked off, quite pleased with how incredibly frightened Sen looked at the thought of it all.

***

Dirk had already moved in, which was fine with Talia. As she approached their now shared quarters, she heard him laughing at something, and she poked her head in. She was about to question him about what was so funny when she saw Kris sitting there, his face buried in his hands.

Both men looked up at her as she entered. Dirk tried to return to a straight face and started giggling again. “Please, make him stop,” Kris said.

“He found out, didn’t he?” Talia asked.

“Yes, and for some reason, he thinks it’s incredibly humorous.”

“How did he find out?” Talia asked.

“Skif finally broke,” Dirk admitted, finally calming. “I can’t believe he kept that secret for so long.”

“Well, it was embarrassing!” Kris exclaimed. “How would _you_ feel if it had happened to you?”

“Alright, alright,” Dirk said. “I suppose I’d be embarrassed, too. But then, it didn’t happen to me.”

Talia shoved some of that embarrassment into his mind so that he could feel it, and grinned when he turned bright red. “Not going to laugh anymore, are you, Love?”

“And that’s why I love having an Empath for a cousin,” Kris said, his grin matching Talia’s.

“Anyway,” Talia said, “I just came from a family meeting. Grandfather seems to have accepted that he’s not getting rid of Father any time soon. But Father is absolutely terrified, as he just learned he has to learn how to dance, and how to navigate the court. I wouldn’t be surprised if, by now, Grandfather has threatened to nominate him to take his Council seat when he eventually retires.”

“Speaking of the wedding,” Dirk said, “the Circle has decided that since we’re the ones getting married, we get to decide where the Heralds revel after the official one will be. We just have to inform them, since we’ll likely be the last ones able to get away.”

“Maeven’s promised perfect weather,” Talia said, “but it’ll still be turning cooler as we move into evening and, predictably, late into the night and even early into the next morning. So any place with fireplaces is fine with me.”

“Tack shed?” Dirk asked.

“Sounds good,” Talia said.

Kris chuckled. “I’ll let Teren know. And I’ll see if we can make it to where you two don’t have to pay a forfeit. After all, it _is_ your wedding we’re talking about, after all.”

“But we can’t stay too late,” Talia said. “Grandfather has offered us use of Wyvern’s Reach for the honeymoon.”

Dirk nodded. “That’s generous of him. I guess you and I will get to learn what it’s like not having to lift a finger.”

Talia smiled. “I think that’s exactly what he had in mind, especially after all I’ve been through.”


	13. Invitations

Lady Naril couldn’t believe it. She had been banned from Court when she was sixteen. And now, here was in invitation back, for a wedding! She broke the seal, which bore the symbol of House Pellenton, wondering who from the House could possibly be getting married. From what she’d heard over the years, the only unmarried one was….

Was it Kris? Oh, she might actually _die_.

Carefully, she read over the text.

_Lady Naril,_

_Your presence is requested for the joining in marriage of the Queen’s Own Herald, Lady Talia of House Pellenton, and Herald Dirk, to be celebrated…_

The rest of the information was irrelevant. Dirk? Herald Dirk was getting married? And into a noble house? She couldn’t believe it!

Then again, on the contrary, since it _wasn’t_ Herald Kris being married…

Well, perhaps that was worth having a new gown made!

***

His ban from court was lifted? And not only that, he was invited to a wedding? Well, that was an intriguing idea to Lord Colby. But who was his former mentor, Lord Orthallen, footing the bill for a wedding for? Because that was his crest in the wax seal on the envelope.

Curious, he flicked it open, and was in shock at the names, especially the name of the bride. He felt a pit in his stomach. He’d been part of a group that had nearly killed Talia nearly seven years ago. The orders had absolutely been to get rid of her. Had Orthallen _known_ she was his granddaughter at the time? If he had, that made him a man to be feared. If he hadn’t, then he was just a power hungry noble like any other.

He wondered, idly, could he use that information in his own favor? Well, it was definitely worth going to the wedding for, if he could figure out how to do it.

***

Sen had never been less comfortable in his life. But he had promised Talia that he would learn to dance, so learn to dance he did, following his wife’s instructions as his daughter stood to the side, giggling at his discomfort. “And just how did you learn to dance?” he asked.

“From Housekeeper Gaytha, when I took my Courtly Graces class,” Talia said. “All Heralds have to take it.”

Sen glanced at Dirk. “Does that mean even you can dance?”

“Not as well as Talia,” Dirk admitted. “She’s got her own natural grace.”

“Not that you would have known it my first year!” Talia exclaimed. “All those times the Blues were harassing me? They made me look like a clumsy colt!”

“The Blues?” Sen asked.

“That’s what we call the Unaffiliated students,” Dirk explained. “Most of them are fine. They’re usually artificers, with several highborn children mixed in.”

“I was a Blue,” Bessa said, “until I met you.”

“They’re called that because they wear blue uniforms,” Talia said, “just like Heraldic trainees wear gray, Bardic students wear a rust-colored uniform, and Healer trainees wear a lighter green than fully trained Healers. It helps to identify who belongs where. And some classes are only for specific areas, so you’ll see only Healer or Bardic or Heraldic students, for example, but some are mixed, and you might see some from all the Collegia. But some of the Blues, during my first year, were pretty nasty. They even tried to kill me!”

Sen growled. Bessa put a hand on his shoulder. “My darling, it’s alright. She’s standing here, just fine.”

“Yes,” Talia said, “and it’s hardly the worst I’ve undergone for Valdemar’s sake. That being said, Lord Colby was invited to the wedding, so I could rub it in his face just how big a mistake he and his friends made.”

“Talia, dearest,” Dirk said, “are you sure you’re not learning a little too well from your grandfather?”

Talia just smiled. “I invited Lady Naril for the same reason. Just imagine the look on her face when she realizes just how wrong she was about you.”

“You know Kris is going to kill you for that,” Dirk said, smirking a little.

“What is going on between Kris and this Lady Naril?” Bessa asked.

Talia and Dirk just looked at each other and grinned. Talia giggled again. “Kris’s good looks,” Talia said, “tend to get him chased. Annoyingly. Lady Naril tried to use Dirk to get him and failed. But given half a chance, watch her start chasing him again.”

“Poor Kris,” Dirk said, “he’d really rather be celibate, for the most part, and left for his studies, and take the occasional lover from the Circle when he does occasionally have those needs.”

“You, Daughter,” Sen said, “have a very odd idea of what’s funny.”

“I believe Herald Jadus once described my sense of humor as macabre,” Talia admitted. “Now, back to your dance lesson. And if you’re sore in the morning from all of this, remember that the cure for the pain is more of what caused it.”


	14. Herald Trainee Sen?!?!?

The wedding was so large that there was no choice but to hold it in Companion’s Field. Sen looked at the Companions, fascinated. It was hard to believe, for him at least, that they were anything more than marvelous looking, well-bred, highly intelligent horses. And yet his daughter swore that they were more, that she and her Companion, Rolan, shared images with each other, and that most Heralds had at least enough Mindspeech to be able to speak to their Companions mind to mind. In fact, it was Rolan that Sen was looking at, now.

And Rolan was looking back at him with those otherworldly blue eyes that all his kind shared. Sen felt, in fact, rather unsettled, as if Rolan were looking directly into his soul and judging what was in his heart. If he understood correctly from Talia, that was likely exactly what Rolan was doing. But judging him for what purpose? Just whether or not he could be trusted around Talia? It was Sen’s understanding that Companions could be rather protective of their Chosen.

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me like that,” he said, “or what you think you’re finding, Rolan, but-”

 _:Ah, no, not Rolan. Rolan’s over there, by his Chosen. But I appreciate the compliment, considering he’s the premier stud in the Field. I have always fancied that I look a bit like him, as I should, considering he’s my sire. I know I’m young, only ten, but I do hope I’ll do. The name’s Asher, by the way, and_ you _are_ my _Chosen.:_

Sen stumbled backwards and fell right on his ass.

***

Talia and Dirk made their way among their wedding guests when they came, eventually, to Lady Naril who was trying, desperately, to find a way to catch Kris’s attention.

“Naril,” Talia said, “just accept it. He doesn’t want you.”

Naril’s eyes went to Talia. “Why not? You’re his cousin, right? Surely, you know him well enough to tell me how to catch his eye.”

“First,” Talia said, “after the way you treated Dirk? Why would I?”

“I was obviously wrong,” Naril said. She turned to Dirk. “I was so very wrong. And I apologize.”

“You’re forgiven,” Dirk said.

“Second,” Talia said, “there’s really nothing you can do to catch Kris’s eye. He won’t accept anything less than a lifebond, and you don’t have that with him. When a Herald has a lifebond, it either happens the first time you meet, or not at all, and there’s nothing you can do to make it one. And what turned him off from you the most for even so much as a tryst, aside from the fact that you were chasing him, which he hates, was how you used Dirk. It will never happen.”

“My mother swore it would work, that if I absolutely had to have the scholar, that was the way I should go,” Naril said. “He said it was likely the only way I could get at him after whoring around as I’d been. My idiot cousin laughed at me, too, shortly before heading off to try to kill you.”

“You mean Colby?” Talia asked.

“Yes.”

Talia nodded. “Yes. We’re planning on speaking to him, next.”

“Do you…do you think Kris would accept my apology?” Naril asked. “And my promise not to chase him, anymore?”

“I think so,” Dirk said. He’d spent the conversation passing Naril’s words, and that he’d accepted her apology, to Kris via Companion relay. “He’s over there by the refreshments. You can always try.”

They wandered over to where Colby was, then. The young lord eyed Talia up and down. “You’ve grown up.”

“Not calling me ‘it’ anymore?” Talia asked.

“Well, not now that I know who you really are. You know we were under your grandfather’s orders, right?” Colby asked.

“I know,” Talia said. “He came clean and told me everything. And I forgave him. Just as I’m forgiving you and the others. But I wasn’t sure of the names of the others, so you were the only one that got invited. Besides, you were the ringleader.”

Talia took great delight in the look of complete surprise on Colby’s face. She had known he wouldn’t be expecting forgiveness. To be honest, neither had Naril.

“Thank you,” Colby finally got out. “And…congratulations.”

***

Kris took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he saw Naril approach. He’d always been a breast man, and he had to admit that if a pair of nice breasts and a willingness to spread her legs was all it took to attract him to a woman, he’d likely have bedded her years ago. In fact, there were a lot of women he’d probably have bedded.

But it took so much more than that to arouse him. He’d listened carefully to what Dirk had sent him by Companion relay, and now, he supposed, he was ready to listen to whatever Naril had to say.

She approached him, and told him everything she’d told Dirk and Talia. Then, as she turned to leave, something, he didn’t know what, made him reach out and take hold of her shoulder. “Naril…”

“Yes?”

“Naril, we’ll never be lovers. But I’m sure we can be friends, if you really have changed. And if nothing else, Selenay’s a pretty good matchmaker.”

***

Talia and Dirk were almost ready to try to slip away from their own reception when Talia noticed something. Her father was completely ignoring her mother and was lost in the eyes of a Companion. She pointed it out to Dirk, and they went over.

“Talia, thank the gods you’re here. Do you know what’s happening?” Bessa asked.

Talia smiled. “There’s only one time a person gets lost in a Companion’s eyes like that, Mother. Father’s been Chosen.”


	15. A Small Anouncement

Talia giggled when she and Dirk came back from their honeymoon and she saw her father in Grays for the first time. “Well? How was Orientation?”

“It was…interesting,” Sen admitted. “There are five others, and I’m the only adult. Herald Kris was kind enough to point out that thirteen is only the average age, and that I am far from the first adult to be Chosen.”

“Oh, no,” Talia said. “Teren was a fisherman in Lake Evendim, Elcarth…well..I’m not sure what he was when he was Chosen. Myste was a law clerk. And Alberich-”

“Yes, Alberich. Where is he from?”

“I asked the same thing when I was first here. He, too, was Chosen as an adult, and before he came here, after being rescued by Kantor because he was about to be burned as a witch, he was the youngest ever captain in the Sunsguard in Karse.”

“You mean the same people who we escaped when my father was a child?”

“Yes,” Talia said. “Not all Karsites are like that. Alberich is actually a very wonderful person. He has a mask that he wears, and he acts like he doesn’t care sometimes, but the fact is that he’s the only instructor who’s teaching truly makes a difference in whether a Herald survives out in the field. Even the queen goes to war.”

“And you’re not above her, are you?” Sen asked, concern in his voice.

“Actually, outside of Court…”

“What?”

“Father, I’m the highest-ranking Herald in the Circle. Outside of Court, I have the right to even give Selenay a good dressing down if I feel she needs it. At Council, if Selenay and I agree on something, she and I can combine our vote to overrule all the others if needed. And yes, that means someday I may well be giving even _you_ orders.”

Bessa arrived just in time to hear the last bit of that. “Well, won’t that be a change for you?”

“Not much, considering Keldar,” Sen said. “But at least orders from a source I can trust, and not a she-wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Bessa kissed him softly. “I have some news for the two of you, and I’m hoping it will make the two of you happy.”

“What is it?” Talia asked.

“Well, I wasn’t feeling well this morning, so I went to see a Healer. I’m pregnant.”

“Truly?” Sen asked, his face lighting up.

“Truly,” Bessa said.

Talia beamed. “Mother, that’s wonderful! Have you told Grandfather, yet?”

“No, I haven’t. I thought Sen and I could tell him together, this evening,” Bessa said.

Sen pulled Bessa close and kissed her. Talia giggled and went off to tell Dirk. Not to mention she felt the need to tell Kris. After all, it was her cousin’s doing that had first brought Sen to Haven and then brought Bessa, seemingly miraculously, back. All, it seemed, was right with the world, at least for now.


	16. We Need Magic

Talia dropped and rolled without stopping what she was doing. Years of training with Alberich had made her response to the assassin’s dagger no more than reflex. What likely surprised the assassin was that instead of rolling away from him, she rolled _towards_ him. She had been knitting, and she stabbed the assassin in the neck with one of her needles.

It hit true, and the man was dead on the ground before Talia could finish wiping his blood from the metal on an old piece of fabric. She sent an image of the man to Rolan, trusting him to alert Dirk and anyone else who might need to know about this.

While she waited, she idly eyed the dagger that had hit the wall. Oh yes. This man had definitely been in Ancar’s purse. Well, she supposed her knitting was done for the day. Pity, that. She looked at the needle. “Oh, Hellfires, that blood’s never going to fully come out of that groove!”

Dirk burst into the room, followed shortly by Kris. “Talia, Dearest, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Talia said. “He’s not.” She motioned at the assassin with her ruined knitting needle. Then something else caught her eye, and she held up the baby blanket she’d been knitting for her newly expected sibling. “That bastard! He didn’t even have the good sense to bleed out just on the floor! That’s near a week’s work ruined!” She sighed and tossed it down. “Well, I suppose it can be used to help wrap up his neck or something else or to help carry him out of here.” She then proceeded to go on a rant about Ancar, calling the Hardornan royal multiple unflattering names.

Kris stared at his cousin in shock, and then looked at Dirk. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day that Talia would be so domesticated that she would get this angry over some knitting.”

“I know,” Dirk said. “If it were Gaytha, I could see it happening.”

“It’s not just the knitting, you know,” Talia said. “He invaded my home. You both know how I feel about that.”

Oh yes. Both men knew very well how Talia felt about her and Dirk’s quarters being invaded. She had chosen this tower suite specifically because it was a sanctuary and provided some privacy, something she desperately valued because of her Gift. It was why Dirk had chosen to move in with her, aside from the fact that her suite had a second bedroom and his didn’t. And nobody was allowed entry without his or Talia’s permission for that very reason, unless they had a very good reason of their own for coming in unannounced.

Aside from Kris, the only others allowed to make surprise visits (and announcing themselves was still often a good idea) were Dirk’s family, Talia’s parents and grandfather, Skif, Sherril, Keren, Alberich, and, of course, Selenay and Elspeth. Kris, Skif, and Elspeth were the only ones who took advantage of this on a regular basis, and Selenay did so only when Kingdom business required it.

“At any rate,” Talia continued, “Ancar sent him.” She collected the dagger. “I think I’ll have this redone with the family crest on it instead of Ancar’s. It really is too nice to just let go to waste. Come on. Let’s get him out of here. I’m sure by now Rolan’s already let Selenay know through Caryo, but I’m sure she’ll want me to give an official report.”

***

Over the next week, there were more such attempts. One of Ancar’s assassins attempted to ambush Dirk and slit his throat. But Dirk had pulled the same maneuver himself often enough that the assassin found himself the victim.

Yet another attempt was made on Orthallen, himself. It was a poisoning attempt. A few nightshade berries mixed in with the blueberries in a bowl of fruit and Orthallen found himself experiencing fever and chills. Devan took care of that.

It was the attack on Kris that surprised them. Someone attempted to throw a black blade at Kris. Kris saw what was happening and was ready to capture him, but the man’s blade suddenly disappeared into thin air, and he knelt down, screaming at the eyes to stop watching him.

Whatever it was, though, it allowed them to capture this one, who admitted to being a Mage, sent on Ancar’s behalf to kill them all with something called a Nightblade. “He saw that regular assassins weren’t working,” he said. “So, he sent me. But something about Valdemar…I got all the way to Haven before the watching started to bother me, though, which is further than any Mage has gotten in a very long time.”

“Lord Dark and Lady Bright,” Talia muttered. She turned and looked at the others. “You know what this means, right?”

“Yes,” Kris said. “It means that whatever has protected Valdemar from Mages and from Magic for this long, since the time of Vanyel’s death, is starting to break down.”

“Then it makes sense,” Dirk said, “that we should go outside of Valdemar, perhaps to Rethwellan or something, and find a Mage of our own for advice.”

“I’ll talk to Selenay,” Talia said.

***

“You want to do what?”

“We want to go looking for a Mage, like the ones that existed in Vanyel’s days, Kris, Dirk, and me,” Talia said. “Whatever’s protecting Valdemar is starting to fail. Kris and I are agreed on that. Don’t ask how we can tell. He and I just…we just can! It’s not something we can explain. Mother and Grandfather can vaguely feel it, but not the way Kris and I can.”

“Mother,” Elspeth said, “I’m in agreement with Talia. I can feel something, too. I don’t know what it is, but I feel something. I think they should go. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t mind going, as well.”

“You need to stay here, Catling,” Talia said. “You’re the only Heir we have.”

“Well, you’re the only Queen’s Own we have,” Elspeth said.

“Yes, but Rolan can Choose again,” Talia pointed out. “Your mother didn’t exactly whelp a litter.”

Selenay snorted. If any of her courtiers had been around, they might have been scandalized. As it was, she found it funny. “Might have been easier if I had, but I don’t think I could have stood Thanel for that long. Sorry, Elspeth. You’re just going to have to keep being an only child.” She turned to Talia. “One thing I’ve learned over the years is to listen closely to my Heralds. When four of you are in agreement that something absolutely must be done, and one of you happens to be my closest advisor, then I’ll agree that it needs to happen. Talia, you, Dirk, and Kris should go with my blessing.”


	17. Tarma and Kethry

“What was that?”

“What was what?”

“That, up there.” Talia pointed up to a high ridge, where there seemed to be a path cleverly hidden from view. “I saw movement, and it looked and felt human.”

“I see it, too,” Kris said.

Dirk shook his head. “I don’t see a thing.”

Kris and Talia gave each other a look that clearly said _he just doesn’t get it._ They had a unique bond as cousins, they had found, that was almost like the one between twins. At least, that was what they understood from talking to Teren and Keren, who _were_ twins. They tried hard not to utilize it around Dirk, because it seemed to make him just a little uncomfortable, but in some instances, like this, it was unavoidable.

Kris stretched out with his Gift. “Two people, both female, and another…thing…an animal… It’s intelligent, like our Companions, but it looks almost like…a giant wolf?”

 _:The term,:_ stated a masculine voice in all their minds, surprising especially Talia, as she hadn’t an ounce of Mindspeech, _:is Kyree. And I might sound masculine, but I’m neuter. Before any of you three think of turning tail and running, Tarma and Kethry know you’re down there, and they know damned well what Heralds are, so you might as well take the trail up. I’ll meet you at the top and lead you through the door. The name is Warrl, by the way.:_

The three of them turned their Companions up the narrow trail, Talia in the lead, Dirk and Kris following behind. As promised, the Kyree who had contacted them met them at the top and led them through a door that Talia and Kris had noticed, but Dirk was only now seeing for the first time. Once through the door, he led them over to a set of stables, where a pair of Shin-a-in bred horses stood. They dismounted and led their Companions into the boxes that Warrl indicated and then followed him into the tower.

There in the main room sat two women. One was dressed all in dark colors and still had some black to her nearly all gray hair, which she kept in multiple braids. She looked more fearsome to Talia than Alberich ever had. The other was petite, with blonde hair that had gone from yellow to white, and green eyes. She wore gold and purple robes, and a silver circlet of the phases of the moon.

“So,” said the darkly dressed woman, “you’re the three that set off our warning bells. Normally, Greeneyes here would blast intruders, but we know Heralds aren’t the kind to make trouble. If there are Heralds down out of Valdemar, it means you’re seeking answers for trouble within your own kingdom.”

“What my _she’enedra_ means,” the other woman said, “is that the last time we met up with your kind, your Heir, or at least he was Heir at the time, was doing a favor for a prince of Rethwellan. But that was many years ago. How many, now, Tarma?”

“Damned if I can remember, Keth. It was Daren’s grandfather, Stefan, that we found up in Valdemar and had to get back on the throne, and Prince Roald that was helping him.”

“Well, you’re right,” Talia said. “You’ve been to Valdemar, so you must know that there’s something that doesn’t like magic, yes?”

Kethry nodded. “Oh, yes. Fortunately, we were just barely in the border, up in the Comb, but there was still that feeling of being watched. Is that what brings you down here? Because you, youngling, and you, the dark-haired one, both have Mage Gift in spades. You must feel absolutely smothered in your own home!”

“Actually…no,” Kris said. “But in a way, it is what brings us here. We’re seeking magical aid, but Talia and I never knew we had Mage Gift. Makes sense, I guess, being distantly related to Vanyel, and he was the last known Herald-Mage.”

“The fact is,” Dirk said, “whatever it is that’s keeping Mages from entering Valdemar is starting to falter, and we’ve got an enemy ready to use that to his advantage. And he _is_ a Mage.”

“Blood Mage, if our spies are correct,” Talia said.

Kethry and Tarma looked at each other and nodded. Kethry turned back to the Heralds. “What are your names?”

“I’m Talia. This is my husband, Dirk, and my cousin, Kris.”

“Figures, cousins have the Gift. Well, Talia, Kris, I haven’t had a student in many years. The last two students we had through here were both Tarma’s, and she’s completely retired, but Dirk, you’re free to train and ask all the questions you want. But Talia, Kris, you two are mine to teach, and the first thing we’re going to do is unlock that Gift the two of you have.”

“I have a question,” Talia said. “I don’t have Mindspeech, but I could hear Warrl just fine. Why?”

 _:That’s because I can Mindspeak anyone, Mindspeech Gift or no. It’s a benefit of being a Kyree that makes us superior to Companions. And don’t pretend you couldn’t open up that path for her and make things easier for her, Rolan. You Mindspoke her when you Chose her. You could absolutely do it again.:_ There was a pause, during which Talia was extremely uncomfortable, and she got the distinct impression that Warrl had insulted Rolan, and was still doing so, and that the two were arguing. Eventually, she got a sense of defeat from Rolan as Warrl spoke in her head again. _:I think I’ve made my point to the over-glorified horse out there. Whether or not he takes my advice is to be seen.:_

During the entire exchange, neither Tarma nor Kethry said anything, and Talia realized that Warrl had been broadcasting everything except his argument with Rolan to everyone in the room.

“Ignore Warrl,” Tarma said. “He’s gotten cranky in his old age.”

_:My old age? We’re all in our nineties. And if I’m grumpy, it’s because someone promised me some bread with honey, and hasn’t delivered.:_

Tarma rolled her eyes and stood, gathering both and putting them into a bowl for the Kyree. “And try not to get it in your fur, this time. It’s damned hard to get out.”

Kethry laughed and turned to Talia and Kris. “Now, we figure out how to unlock your Gifts. It shouldn’t take much. For me, all it took was a bit of trauma.” She eyed Talia closely. “I think you’ve suffered similar trauma, yourself, at the hands of a dangerous and evil man. But then, many women have.”

“King Ancar of Hardorn,” Talia said. “He’s the Blood Mage we told you about. Him and Hulda.”

At Hulda’s name, both Tarma and Kethry stopped and stared at each other. “That little bitch,” Kethry muttered. “I should have known she was trouble.”

“Hold on, Green Eyes,” Tarma said. “We sure it’s the same Hulda?” She looked at Talia. “Describe her.”

“A bit taller than me,” Talia said. “Dark hair, fair skin, brown eyes, imperious, and bitch isn’t strong enough to describe her.”

“That’s her, alright,” Kethry said. “Hulda was one of my first students, when we first set up our school many years ago. That was when we had a larger building and a lot more land, because we had a lot more students and we needed every bit of what we had. That was back in Stefan’s day. But she wanted more power, and when she learned about Blood Magic, she and I ended up arguing about it. I told her if I ever caught her practicing it, she’d be expelled. She left on her own, instead.”

“She ended up in Hardorn eventually,” Talia said. “She played nurse to Ancar and taught him Blood Magic. Taught him real well. Then she came back to Rethwellan and took the place of another Hulda, Prince Karathanelen’s nurse, and ended up in Valdemar. Don’t know how she kept from being driven mad, but she did, and damn near turned Princess Elspeth into the perfect bride for Ancar and kept her from being Chosen and made Heir. She ran right back to Hardorn and to Ancar after she was found out.”

“Damn. I wonder what she was up to in the remaining years?” Tarma asked.

“I don’t know, and I doubt we’ll ever know,” Kethry said. She turned back to Talia and Kris. “Knowing your Mind Gifts might help.”

“Farseer,” Kris said. “In fact, Dirk and I are partners. He’s a Fetcher, and I give him a better fix than anyone else, so it’s only natural that we work together. We’re basically the queen’s thieves. But we’re also best friends and oath brothers.”

“So essentially the kind of relationship Tarma and I have,” Kethry said. “What about you, Talia?”

“My only Gift is Empathy, but it’s very strong. It’s come in handy as Queen’s Own, at times, especially during Council meetings. Also, Rolan and I can’t block each other out, at all. Most Heralds can get some privacy from their Companions. I can’t. It makes nighttime a little frustrating, sometimes, if Dirk’s away on assignment and Rolan’s found a mare to sport with. But being able to see through each other’s eyes is damned helpful, at times.”

“So, most likely, you, Kris, are going to have strong Mage Sight, and you, Talia, are going to have some decent magical Healing abilities.” For the first time, Kethry looked at Dirk, assessing him. “No Mage Gift, but you’re closely bound to Talia. Lifebond?” Dirk nodded, and Kethry continued. “Excellent. Talia might just be able to use that once she’s trained. Empathic Mages can often tap into others that they’re extremely close to, make use of any Gifts they might have. Obviously, you’ll also be that close to your Companion. Anyone else you have particularly close ties to?”

“Kris, definitely,” Talia admitted. She bit her lip and thought. “Skif, Elspeth, Selenay, Sherril, Keren, and Jeri. Of those six, Skif is the one I’m closest to. I’m not as close as I’d like to be to the rest of my family due to various reasons.”

“And you’ll never be as close to them as you are to Kris,” Dirk said.

Talia whipped around and glared at him. “Not funny.”

Kris, though he knew he was not going to be the target, scooted his chair away. Far away. Dirk really should have taken that as a warning sign instead of continuing to giggle. “Not to the two of you, but to the rest of the Circle…”

Before Talia could remind Dirk _why_ teasing her and Kris was a bad idea, Tarma raised an eyebrow at all three of them. “Something we should know?”

Talia sighed and continued to scowl at Dirk. “My darling husband and lifemate thinks it’s absolutely hilarious that before Kris and I learned that we’re related, we went to bed together in the middle of a blizzard, and not only that, but that I lost my virginity to my own cousin.”

Tarma and Kethry both also seemed to find this absurdly funny, as did Warrl, who was laughing in their heads. Talia and Kris just looked at each other resignedly, realizing they would likely never live it down.

Eventually, though, Kethry calmed long enough to speak. “It’s close to dinner time. Dinner, then a good night’s sleep, I think, and then we start training in the morning, younglings, as soon as breakfast is over.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so yes, I know involving Tarma and Kethry and Warrl is stretching things. But, I found a really awesome timeline that someone spent a LOT of time analyzing the books and constructing. https://www.cs.csustan.edu/~mthomas/abml/djoll_chron.html
> 
> This is the timeline I use for a lot of my stuff. And we know from Misty's Q&A on her Ask Misty Page on her personal website that, due to the effects of magic, T&K both lived to over 100. If T&K were born in 1301 and 1302 respectively, then this means they would have lived until at least 1402. Selenay becomes Queen in 1376, and at this point in the story, we're approximately in late Autumn of 1395. 
> 
> So, Tarma and Kethry would be 94 and 93 respectively. Obviously, we know that Jadrek was not given the benefit of all that lovely magic because, unlike Tarma, he didn't have the goddess binding to Kethry, just the marriage vows (my theory as to why he died so much younger, before Kero even showed up, at any rate), and by this point, Kero will have been Captain Kerowyn for about 8 years. 
> 
> So that's why Talia and Kris get to be taught magic by Kethry.


	18. Bad Magic Day

Kero was more than a little alarmed to make one of her rare visits to her grandmother and clanmother, only to find three Companions in the stable. She eyed them carefully. None of them were Ratha, which meant that Eldan hadn’t decided to track her down through family. But what else could Heralds in Rethwellan, and here of all places, possibly mean?

One of them was staring at her. He had the air of a leader about him, as if that were possible. But then, from what she’d learned from Eldan, that very well _was_ possible. And Kero stared right back. “I don’t know the other two, but based on Eldan’s descriptions, I’m willing to bet you’re known as Rolan, and your Chosen is the Queen’s Own.”

The Companion looked rather startled, and then looked at her. _:That makes you Kerowyn. Ratha’s description of you was perfect. You really are very disconcerting for someone not ready to run into a non-Herald with Mindspeech. Although, not as much as that overgrown mutt-grass cat hybrid in there who seems to have enchanted my Chosen.:_

“Get into an argument with Warrl, did you? Well, better watch out, or she’ll end up taking a Kyree of her own back to Valdemar. Just imagine having a Kyree like Warrl always riding pillion on you, constantly begging for bread and honey, and always certain he knows what’s best.”

Rolan did not look pleased at the prospect. _:And just what makes you think that’s a possibility? She and her cousin are here for Mage training, not to get a pet.:_

“That just makes appearance of a Kyree more likely, you know that, right? That’s how Warrl showed up. Grandmother was trying to call a familiar, as any good White Winds Mage does when they get to Master status, and he went and bonded with Tarma! It could always be a firebird, you know. So, your Chosen and her cousin. That explains two of you. The third?”

_:Ahrodie is with her own Chosen, who is Talia’s husband.:_

_:Oh, so you’ll talk to Kero, but not to your own Herald, Horse?:_ Warrl asked.

_:I already told you, Mutt. Talia doesn’t have Mindspeech.:_

_:Doesn’t stop me from talking to her.:_

“Do I want to know?” Kero asked.

 _:What the over-glorified horse won’t tell you,:_ Warrl said, _:Is that even though he has the ability to do so, he won’t open up the Mindspeech pathway for his Herald, even though it would make things oh so much easier for her. And she wants it, mind you.:_

 _:What the mutt isn’t acknowledging,:_ Rolan countered, _:is that forcing a pathway open is rather painful, and I don’t want to cause her pain without due cause. She doesn’t deserve it. She’s been through enough.:_ He seemed to hang his head in resignation. _:But fine. If she knows and acknowledges that it’s going to hurt, a lot, and she’s still willing to deal with it…:_

Rolan didn’t have time to finish his thoughts. There was a loud bang from inside the tower, and smoke flowed out from the windows. Kero turned and ran into the tower, coughing and waving away the smoke still in the room as she got to where her grandmother generally worked potions.

Kethry was nonchalantly glaring at an impossibly handsome dark-haired young man and lecturing him about paying better attention to his ingredients. She then turned to a young woman with slightly reddish-brown curls who was on the floor and coughing.

“Grandmother, what happened?” Kero asked, just as Tarma arrived with a mountain of a man with blonde hair.

The man-mountain dropped his load of firewood and ran over to the younger woman. “Talia!”

“I’m alright,” Talia said. “Just turns out that Kris isn’t any better at potions than at stuffing chickens.”

Kethry seemed to finally notice Kero. “You’re a day earlier than expected, Kerowyn. Well, doesn’t matter much. I’m glad to see you either way. Let me introduce you. These are my students, Talia and Kris, and Talia’s tag-along husband, Dirk. As you might have surmised by their uniforms, they’re Heralds out of Valdemar.”

Kero pursed her lips. “Ah, yes, I have some experience with Heralds and recognizing their ‘oh shoot me now Whites.’”

Talia looked at Kero. “Kerowyn? _The_ Kerowyn?” Mischief entered her eyes. “If I’ve heard from Eldan right, yes, lots of experience.” She giggled.

“Find yourself in bed with one of their friends, Kero?” Tarma asked. “No shame in it if you did.”

Kero turned red, and Talia laughed again. “Oh,” she said, “he’s been damned faithful, too. When he’s not being Selenay’s eyes and ears down in Karse, there’s not another woman that can seem to interest him. And I’ve seen some try!” She laid back, suddenly, bringing a hand to her forehead, her fingers on her temples. “Ugh… I don’t feel so good all of a sudden. I feel dizzy.”

Kethry tossed her a towel. “Clean the remains of your idiot cousin’s potion off of you. That might help. I’m bottling yours, though. Yours came out just fine.”

_:Are…are you alright, Chosen?:_

_:ROLAN?!?:_

_:I_ thought _I felt that pathway blasted open. I was going to finally offer it, but it looks like the magic you’re working with did it, instead, and made you dizzy instead of a full-on headache.:_

Talia’s eyes widened. “Kris, I don’t know what you did, but whatever it was, don’t do it around newly Chosen or those whose Gifts are still untrained! It blasted open another pathway in my mind and I can finally Mindspeak Rolan!”

 _:Another point to the Kyree,:_ Warrl commented.

Kethry fished a Kyree hair out of Kris’s cauldron. “Kris, I apologize. This wasn’t your fault after all. Warrl!”

“See?” Kris said. “I can follow a recipe!”

“Just can’t stuff a chicken,” Talia said.

 _:It really was for her own good,:_ Warrl said. _:I’ve had word from my clan. One of my sisters many great-grandchildren is on her way. Madra’s a neuter, too, and she sensed someone in this direction with a need for her.:_

“You know,” Kero said, “normally visits here are rather calm. If I wanted this much chaos, I’d have gone to see my brother and his family. Or just stayed back at Bolthaven.”

“Just means you’ve been cursed to live in interesting times, youngling,” Tarma said, slapping Kero on the back. “Welcome home.”


End file.
